


without pause, without a doubt, in a heartbeat

by jung_eunkyung



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Angels & Demons, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Hades and Persephone Mythology Fusion, Alternate Universe - High School, Christmas, Family, Family Feels, Fluff, Getting Back Together, Hurt/Comfort, Hybrids, Kid Fic, Light Angst, M/M, Mizu's 30 Day OTP Challenge, Organized Crime, Parenthood, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Post-Divorce, Sickfic, Smut, Weddings, multiple AUs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-22
Updated: 2019-07-14
Packaged: 2019-07-15 13:04:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 19,485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16063736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jung_eunkyung/pseuds/jung_eunkyung
Summary: “And I’d choose you; in a hundred lifetimes, in a hundred worlds, in any version of reality, I’d find you and I’d choose you.”― Kiersten White, The Chaos of StarsCHAPTER 14: 26. Interacting with Family Members [domestic!au - parents!ShowKi]





	1. 1. Getting Lost Somewhere [kid!fic - human!Kihyun & werewolf!Hyunwoo]

**Author's Note:**

> Link to the challenge: http://mizufallsfromkumo.tumblr.com/post/50998898131/mizus-30-day-otp-challenge

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! This is me attempting another 30 day challenge, except I'm definitely not going to do it in 30 days (I would love to spend that much time writing, but sadly I cannot) - to be honest, I don't even know if I will post often, or if I can even finish at all, but I was itching to share what I have without waiting to see if I ever get around to finishing this, because: I feel like I'm losing my touch since I'm writing significantly less, and I really would rather not become stagnant, and also the ShowKi tag is so. terribly. quiet. i. need. more. fics. to. make. it. through. my. day. without. dying. please. consider. writing. to. keep. me. sustained. if. you. have. the. time.
> 
> All chapters are unrelated unless stated, and as always: as much as Kudos is welcomed, constructive criticism is much more appreciated. I'd love to know your thoughts on this or my writing in general or really, if you want to talk about the weather to me despite probably living on the other side of the world, just drop a comment, it would make my day. Enjoy!

 

 _Where am I?_ , the young boy thinks fearfully, looking around him. He’d been running around in the forest for what seems like hours now, but he was nowhere close to the road that led back to town than before. Instead, he’s even deeper in and he can’t find his way back.

His stomach growls, and he can’t help the tears that come forth as he rubs his tummy. His mother always said crying didn’t help solve problems and he should always take a deep breath and calm down, but he’s tired and he just wants to go back home to her.

She did always warn him about the forest, but he didn’t listen. He just wanted to pick some of the pretty blue flowers she liked so much, and he’d overheard some of the older boys that there was a big meadow full of those just by the river in the forest.

But he tries to stop himself anyways, taking big gulping breaths in between hiccups and whimpers but it just makes him cry harder, and he sinks to the ground, hoping his mother will somehow come to get him and take him home.

Someone does show up, but it isn’t her. The boy is still crying, but he notices when the harsh rays of the sun aren’t hitting him all of a sudden and there’s a large shadow looming over him. He turns to see a pair of bare feet, and his gaze goes up, up, up-

And there’s a boy looking down at him, one who looks to be around his age. He’s… pretty; he’s got a chubby face and lips, and pretty-looking golden skin. He’s not wearing any clothes, but that doesn’t come to this little boy’s attention. He’s just so glad there’s someone else here and stops crying almost immediately, jumping to his feet and startling the stranger.

“Hi!,” he shouts. “Can you help me, please? I’m lost; can you take me back to town?” The other boy – he’s taller and bigger, but he seems to shrink at the loud voice the other adopts – merely stares at him, tilting his head with a blank expression on his face.

 _Maybe he didn’t hear me?_ , he thinks. “I said, can you-,” he starts to repeat, but suddenly the boy reaches out to him and rests his hand on the apple of his wet cheek, pushing the remnants of tears away. He steps closer and does the same to the other cheek, and the first boy can’t help but blush. He probably looked really ugly, tears and snot all over his face.

He wipes his face clean with the sleeve of his shirt and then gifts the other a big, warm smile, teeth peeking through when he gets a small, shy one in return. “I need to go home,” he says softly. “Do you know where it is?” The boy tilts his head again. _He doesn’t understand what I’m saying? Maybe he’s not from around here?_

Suddenly the tanned boy moves back. The shorter gasps as his body shifts, and in the place of a human male stood a young wolf, staring back at him with those same tranquil eyes. “You- what-,” he says faintly, stepping closer to run his hand through soft russet fur. He’d heard that the forest was home to many magical creatures – that was one reason he was told to steer clear of it – but he never thought he’d actually _witness_ something.

The boy – no, wolf – _no,_ he corrects himself _werewolf,_ as he recalls the stories the village _harabeoji_ used to tell – nudges his palm against its snout before moving forward and pressing itself into his neck, and the boy laughs, face crumpling in slight disgust as it licks him. They spend a few minutes like that before it finally moves away, tilting its head.

The boy straightens his back, looking at him curiously. “What is it?,” he asks. It makes a strange sound, almost like a purr while looking in the opposite direction and taking a few steps away from him before looking at him once more and huffing. “Okay I’m coming, I’m coming!”

They walk, and the boy talks about anything and everything, from the funny looking trees he’s never seen before to his mother who would probably be worried and waiting for him with a good scolding back at home. The werewolf doesn’t say much, but it wags its tail like an excited dog and that’s enough to keep him going as he chatters on and on. 

They finally arrive at the edges of the forest, and the human shouts in relief as he spots the familiar road that leads back to town. “I’m back! Thank you so much,” he cries, getting on his knees to hug the animal. It whines softly, and he frowns, pulling back to stare at it.

“Don’t worry,” he murmurs, pressing the tip of his nose to its snout and closing his eyes. “I’ll come see you tomorrow, and the next day and the next and- AHH!,” he screams when it licks him and leaves a slobbery mess of saliva on his face, but in the end he laughs and presses back onto its warm body one more time before running off, shouting promises of seeing each other soon.     


	2. 3. Patching Each Other Up [hurt/comfort - doctor!Hyunwoo & criminal!Kihyun]

“This really needs to stop,” Hyunwoo says as he scrutinizes Kihyun’s body, the usually smooth flesh marred by a long, thick cut running across the width of his back.

 

The male had come staggering into his home in the middle of the night, blood soaking through the shirt that he’d tied around himself in hopes of stopping the bleeding, and Hyunwoo has never been gladder he gave his spare key to him.

 

Kihyun only chuckles. “Occupational hazard,” he says airily. He can’t see Hyunwoo, but he’s already laughing at the unimpressed expression he’s probably sporting. He hisses when Hyunwoo tugs the needle a little too harshly, but whispers reassurances when he mutters a continuous string of apologies.

 

The smaller lets him work in silence after that, but he can feel the frustration building up in the other as he repeats the motion of piercing the skin, pulling the thread and tying a knot along the length of the wound. He closes his eyes, sighing at the little pinpricks of pain that travel throughout his body.

 

“Hyunwoo.” He hums at the sound of his name, and Kihyun holds out a palm behind him. The taller puts his needle and thread aside before grasping the outstretched hand, threading his fingers in between Kihyun’s. _I’m sorry._

 

He leans forward, minding the injury as he perches his chin on the younger’s shoulder, before leaning down so that his lips are plush against the skin of his back. They stay like that, breaths synchronizing as they take in each other’s presence. _Don’t be._

“I’m scared,” he confesses. Hyunwoo has always had a soft voice, but this time it’s almost inaudible, as if he’s afraid of saying it out loud. “You come back to me worse and worse each time and-,” he cuts himself off, but they both know where his train of thoughts were leading to. _–and I’m scared one day you’ll come back to me **dead**._

Kihyun opens his mouth. “I-,” he starts, but then shakes his head and requests the other to finish up. He does as he is told, and by the time he finishes the air around them is a lot less heavy. Kihyun turns to face him when the last of the sutures is done and the remaining dressing is applied.

 

Hyunwoo is saying something about caring for the stitches, but Kihyun can’t pay attention. He probably knows most of what the older is saying anyways – previous experience and all. “…so you can drop by the hospital tomorrow and I can give it to you. Just apply it once a day, after you take a shower and then cover it up with the dressing, okay?”

 

The younger smiles, and at Hyunwoo’s confused grin in reply he leans forward, pressing a kiss to soft pink lips. He ignores the discomfort that shoots up his spine when he moves even nearer to the older, hands reaching out to take his as he hesitantly kisses back.

 

It doesn’t escalate, but they share a few more deep kisses and Kihyun is glad that the tension seems to have eased from Hyunwoo’s shoulders completely as he stares at him. He loves that look on the older’s face whenever he looks at him; he looks awestruck, like he’s never seen something more beautiful in his life.

 

“I’m fine,” he says, voice firm but eyes soft. “I’m okay. I know you worry a lot and I’m sorry. I can’t promise you that I’ll come home without a hair out of place, but I can promise you that I’ll try my best to stay safe. You’re not getting rid of me that easily, Son Hyunwoo.”

 

“I love you,” he proclaims with a note of unwavering finality, and Hyunwoo crumbles, repeating it back to him as they pepper kisses all over each other.

 

They’ll be fine.

 

 

 

 


	3. 4. Hospital Visits [highschool!AU - protective!Hyunwoo & bullied!Kihyun]

“Um, hello.”

Hyunwoo’s eyes snapped open at the familiar voice, frantically darting around as he struggled to sit up from the uncomfortable bed of the hospital ward. “Wait, you don’t have to-,” Kihyun mutters, moving forward to help him up. The older tenses as their skins brush, heart palpitating in his chest. If Kihyun notices, he doesn’t say anything.

Hyunwoo nudges at the chair beside the raised bed, and Kihyun mumbles a thank you as he sits. They stare at each other for a while, the silence strange but not awkward. The younger perks up, as if suddenly remembering something, and takes some things out of his schoolbag.

“Your classmate, Hoseok-sunbae I think it was, passed me your homework for today. He said he’ll drop by in the evening. He looked like was about to cry,” he explains, placing the books and papers the tiny table beside his bed. The latter chuckles at the concerned expression he sports. “Hoseok’s just really sensitive, don’t worry about him.”

“If anything, Hyunwoo-sunbae,” Kihyun starts, and Hyunwoo’s heart does somersaults at the sound of his name coming out of Kihyun’s mouth, “I’m more worried about you.” That revelation shuts Hyunwoo up for good, and another few minutes pass quietly.

“Does it hurt?,” he asks softly, moving forward to inspect Hyunwoo’s injuries. Hyunwoo shakes his head, and Kihyun hums, fingers hovering over the swell on his forehead, and the older is breathless for a second there. He waves off Kihyun’s concern, asking him to sit again.

“You shouldn’t have punched him,” he says finally, a wary look in his eye. Hyunwoo sighs. It wasn’t as if he planned it, and he says as much, only to be greeted by an unimpressed glare. “I would have taken care of it,” the younger clarifies.

Hyunwoo scoffs. _Like hell he was_. “He’s been pushing you around for a while. You’ve never done anything before,” he counters, voice harsh. Kihyun opens his mouth to retort, but closes it again as a thought crossed his mind.

“Well that’s true, but how did you know that?” That shuts him up. Hyunwoo looks down at his tray table, staring at his half-eaten lunch with interest but when he looks back at Kihyun, the younger is still waiting, face set in a challenging expression and an eyebrow raised in expectation.

“Why does he keep picking on you, anyways?,” Hyunwoo asks, in an attempt to deflect the earlier question but also genuine curiosity. Now it’s Kihyun’s turn to squirm, and Hyunwoo’s brows furrow. What was Kihyun hiding that was bad enough to get him bullied?

He watches as the younger seemingly retreats into his thoughts, and Hyunwoo wonders if it would be overbearing to insist. Before he can make up his mind, however, the other seemed to have reached a resolution, squaring his shoulders and looking him dead in the eye.

“I’m gay,” Kihyun announces. Hyunwoo feels his whole world stop at that moment, the air leaving his lungs in a _whoosh_. “Gay?,” he repeats. “Yes, gay. I like guys. Is there something wrong with that?,” he questions defensively, and the older’s stomach twists into an uncomfortable knot. _So this whole time I was worried…_ , he thought, trailing off.

So lost in his own thoughts, he doesn’t notice the smaller male getting antsy, only realizing when Kihyun gets up and starts to excuse himself. “No!,” he exclaims, startling them both with his sudden loud voice. “No, I- I’m gay too,” he confesses softly, and he exhales in relief when Kihyun’s stance becomes lax as he sits down once more.

“Really, Hyunwoo-sunbae?”

“Well, I’m not- I’ve never, before this- I like a guy…,” he says, struggling to explain. “He’s the first.”

Kihyun nods in understanding, smiling softly. “Have you told him yet?” Hyunwoo shakes his head, and Kihyun clicks his tongue. “You should,” he encourages gently. Hyunwoo takes a good look at him, tries to calm his erratic heart and takes a deep breath, deciding to throw caution to the wind.

“Kihyun… it’s you.” At his gaping, Hyunwoo merely adds quietly, “I really care about you.”

The other doesn’t say anything, merely staring and Hyunwoo can’t help the nervousness that hits him, making his hands and feet cold, but he doesn’t know what to say or do. It’s Kihyun’s call completely.

Just then Kihyun’s phone buzzes, and the tense bubble that surrounds them seems to explode, reminding both males about their surroundings. The shorter gives his screen a quick glance before tapping something and putting a stop to its incessant vibrating.

“I have to go,” he starts apologetically, and Hyunwoo is so busy flailing in an attempt to sit up and send him off while repeating an “It’s fine, I’m sorry, I didn’t notice the time either.” that he doesn’t notice Kihyun grabbing his chin and planting a chaste kiss on his cheek until he’s already pulled away.

There’s a small, smug grin playing on his lips as Hyunwoo stares at him, gobsmacked. His face tingles and he can feel it heat up, and it takes everything in the taller not to make himself look stupider by touching the damp spot on his cheek. “I’ll see you tomorrow?,” Kihyun asks, and Hyunwoo nods because why _wouldn’t_ he want to see the other tomorrow?

“Yeah, tomorrow...” Hyunwoo says softly, voice trailing off in the end as he stares at Kihyun’s retreating back. His heart is thundering in his ears and his mind is riddled with questions, but if the smaller’s expression was anything to go by, Hyunwoo thinks it’s all going to turn out just fine.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've had a shitty day... I flunked a test at school - it doesn't actually affect my final grade so I'm not worried, but it isn't a good feeling either... my mind is pretty frazzled too at the moment... I usually don't feel so demotivated. I've tried de-stressing the way I usually do by going through my Tumblr...I still feel crappy. Ah well, I'm sure I'll feel much better by the next update. Let me know how I did this time!


	4. 2. Pet Names [organized crime!AU/push & pull relationship - hitman!Kihyun & mob boss!Hyunwoo]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rated M for suggestive/sexual themes.

The night air is cool. Around this time of the year it rains heavily in Seoul, but Kihyun is fortunate that today wasn’t one of those days; not that he isn’t professional enough to handle it, but running around on dry floors is definitely easier than slick ones – not to mention it’s been a close call one too many times tonight.

He’s been running for almost an hour now, and he can still hear the goons trying to catch up to him. How the whole lot of them has been able to keep up with him is really a mystery, but Kihyun doesn’t have time to think about that for now.

He is forced to take another turn, this time entering the backstreets of Seoul’s lavish areas; where the grandest hotels and most famous casinos and bars lie. He can still hear their loud footsteps and the aimless gunshots and he chuckles even though it dawns on him that he is being cornered – that’s the only explanation as to why he’s not come across a junction yet.

 _Idiots…they get more persistent these days_ he thinks with a sigh, and just as he contemplates taking them all down Kihyun spots, with great luck, one of the doors to the balcony of the many hotel rooms open. Without a second thought, he hides behind the emergency staircase.

They don’t stop, but he holds his breath as they curse at him and keep running. Kihyun waits a good while before stepping out, lithely bounding up flights of stairs and throwing himself into the room, turning around and locking the door behind him immediately.

The lights are off and that doesn’t add up with the fact that the balcony was left open like that, but he shrugs to himself and makes his way to the front door. It isn’t his business what anyone else does; he’s merely passing by.

…Or at least he thought he was, up until the door wouldn’t open and he turned back to the balcony, only to be greeted by a large form in front of it facing him. His breath is caught in his throat, and the gears in Kihyun’s head turn, piecing everything together in a split second. He opened his mouth, and at the same time, the person spoke.

“Hello, pet,” a rich, smooth voice greeted just as Kihyun groaned wordlessly, slapping a palm to his forehead. “What are you doing here, Mr. Son?,” Kihyun asked through gritted teeth, watching the man move to switch on the bedside lamp and bathing them both in a soft golden glow. He hummed playfully as if pondering, before breaking out into a wide smile. _Cute_ , thought Kihyun, before smacking himself internally.

“This is my room, so I think I should be the one asking that question,” Mr. Son answered and Kihyun’s eyes widen, before flaring in anger. “You- how many times must I tell you to leave me alone?!,” he shouts, huffing when the other simply requests that he keep his voice down. “We’re still in public, pet,” he reminds him.

“Stop calling me that,” Kihyun snaps, but his words are ignored as Mr. Son walks to him, eyes trailing his form in an unabashed manner. He stands his ground as the man towers over him, not faltering in the slightest even when fingers run up his thigh to rest on his hip and more pinch at his bottom lip almost painfully.

Kihyun gets a whiff of his scent with every inhale, and he’s lying if he says it doesn’t affect him in the slightest. “Yoo Kihyun,” he says softly, eyes zeroing on the way his Adam’s apple bob as Kihyun swallows, throat suddenly feeling parched, “how many times must I tell you to call me by name? You never listen, do you, pet? And here I thought you came to accept my feelings.”

“I can’t do that, _sir_ , nor do I want to,” Kihyun growls. “You’re my employer, did you forget?” The taller man smirks. “You had no problem screaming it a few nights ago, though,” he reminds him, and the fact that he takes pleasure in the way the blood rushes to Kihyun’s face makes the latter’s blood boil.

_You want to play? Fine, two can play._

He tilts his head back, letting his eyes flutter until it’s almost closed and observing the way the other licks his lips, fixated on his neck. His hands trail the length of Mr. Son's chest before reaching the hem of his untucked shirt and hastily moving past it, feeling his skin ripple as he shudders from the other’s cold palms.

Kihyun grins and moves forward, letting their bodies press flush against one another. Their lips almost barely touch, breaths intermingling. He drawls out a wanton “ _Hyunwoo._ ”, the word borderline a moan while gyrating his hips forward in one slow, smooth stroke, and something in Hyunwoo snaps. His fingers travel to the back of Kihyun’s head to pull his hair back, and then the male latches plush lips onto the column of his neck and starts sucking at the skin in earnest.

Kihyun laughs breathlessly, trying to keep his head clear. _This was too easy._ One of his hands moves down to cup the hardness between Hyunwoo’s legs while the other reaches back to nestle the man into his neck, and he revels in the muffled moan the latter lets out. Kihyun rubs it slowly until he feels a wet patch form at the front of his expensive pants, before pulling off completely.

Hyunwoo doesn’t let him go that easily, stumbling forward to capture his lips, but Kihyun presses a finger to his own and he stills, as if weakened by the small, insignificant action. Kihyun stares, openly noting his flushed cheeks and blown pupils with a sense of pride. He leans, until all that’s stopping them from kissing is his digit.

“Not today,” he starts with a whisper, removing the barrier between them and licking a stripe across Hyunwoo’s plump bottom lip, “baby.” In the next second he’s gone, out of the balcony and down the stairs faster than lightning.

Running with a hard-on is uncomfortable, but the disappointed expression on Hyunwoo’s face was _so_ worth it. It’s not that Kihyun doesn’t like him back, but he believes the man’s got to earn his affections. _He’s so obviously smitten_ , Kihyun muses as he goes the way he came, confident that enough time has passed and no one was still waiting to get him.

_Maybe I’ll give him what he wants soon enough._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm posting today because it's my birthday! I really enjoyed writing this one, I hope you enjoy reading it as well :)


	5. 28. Falling in Love [fantasy!AU - human!Kihyun & dragon!Hyunwoo]

It’s way past sundown when Hyunwoo returns to his lair; he doesn’t mean to be out so late. He is impatient, and it shows: he flies straight in, a loud _whoosh_ from the harsh beating of his wings accompanying his arrival. He doesn’t even wait to change: he’s still feet from the ground when his dragon form gives way to his human one, and he calls out, voice reverberating throughout the cave. “Kihyun, I’m sorry, I lost track of time and went too far out.” When he doesn’t get a response, Hyunwoo is instantly worried. _Did he return to the village ?_ , he wonders, but the thought is dismissed almost immediately. It isn’t like Kihyun to leave without informing Hyunwoo, but then again, it isn’t like him to not come nagging as welcome either.

To be fair, the dragon hasn’t been acting normal either, but in his case, he couldn’t help it. Mating season had come upon them, and while the human seemed to be blissfully unaware, Hyunwoo was struggling to rein his instincts and rut against whatever he wished – in this scenario, a particular human who’d been staying with him and whom Hyunwoo was very much attracted to. So he leaves, flies out far and wide every day, looking for the most beautiful of riches to add to his hoard. He searches more thoroughly than usual; at this time his instincts are a lot more primal, adding to the fact that he has a potential mate – the dragon side of him is trying its hardest to woo said potential mate by expanding his posessions.

“Kihy-,” he tries again, but the male gets cut off when his nose picks up a strange scent. It’s – well, it’s Kihyun, that much Hyunwoo can tell, but his fresh, citrusy scent is suddenly overpowering, turning sweet in an almost sickening way. Almost. At Hyunwoo’s current state, though, he wishes to douse himself in it, rub it all over himself, fuse with it. He walks unconsciously in the direction of the scent, breath heaving the closer he gets. It leads him to the chamber in the corner where he’d fashioned the man a bed – a much more suited place of rest for man than the cold, hard ground the dragon is used to – and he finds him there, stopping short at the sight that lay in front of him.

His eyes land first on the smaller’s face: he notes the beads of sweat running down the sides of his cheeks, the pink flush starting at the tips of his ears all the way down to his neck. Following the trail, Hyunwoo catches sight of the rest of the human, bare and revealing, and everything else turns into a blur. He watches, mesmerized, as Kihyun wraps a palm around his length and pants wantonly at the feeling. He thinks he hears a choked gasp, but he realizes it came from himself when Kihyun jerks in surprise and his head turns in Hyunwoo’s direction in shock. “Hyunwoo…,” he breathes in relief, and it gives the dragon a good kick in the head; Hyunwoo takes two steps back in alarm. “What are you doing?,” he asks dumbly. “I’ve been waiting for you,” he says softly, but his words go in one ear and out the other.

It seems Kihyun can sense his distracted state; he stops putting on a show and sits up, eyes dark and gaze heavy. Hyunwoo can’t do anything but stare. “It’s mating season,” he states lightly, but Hyunwoo has been around the man long enough to detect the hidden anger in his voice. “Is it not?”

Hyunwoo doesn’t even think about lying to him. “Yes.” Kihyun sighs, leaning back to rest his body on the soft bedding. Hyunwoo can’t help but let his eyes linger. The male is so… lax, spread open and unabashed for Hyunwoo to see, for him to _take_ , if his understanding of the situation is correct. Hyunwoo distantly notices himself getting heavier with want, with _need_ and he blinks repeatedly in an attempt to clear his head. “Why didn’t you tell me?,” he questions. Hyunwoo is silent for a while, but he’s really more focused on trying to not ravage the human instead of offering a response. Kihyun waits patiently, and it takes the dragon a few more minutes to get a hold of himself. “I wasn’t… aware that I was supposed to?” Kihyun clicks his tongue before standing up, walking towards the other.

His gait is powerful, sure, like his nakedness is nothing more than a part of himself, nothing he should be ashamed of. He is confident, unfaltering, unshakeable – a worthy mate of a dragon. Alarm bells ring off in Hyunwoo’s head and he doesn’t even realize as he flits closer, meets Kihyun halfway until they stand right before one another. They take a moment to stare at each other, and fingers reach up to trace the apple of Hyunwoo’s cheeks right down to his neck –where it is not skin but scale, reflecting the shiny navy blue of his dragon form; Hyunwoo has not needed to transform into a human in a long time, not until Kihyun came along; but with every shift he appears less animal-like. “You forget what I was given to you for, my dear dragon,” Kihyun whispers, eyes never leaving his own. His touch is light, and Hyunwoo purrs at the way they tickle. But when he finally processes the man’s words he’s stepping back, reminded of the very reason he has refused to even consider asking Kihyun to help him.

“You didn’t want to be offered to me,” he protests, and he loathes the way his voice cracks at both the way he is affected by Kihyun and the pain in his heart from his words. “You were so upset when you first arrived, I even let you return home because I required nothing, merely to be left to my own devices and in return I would never steal the riches of your village, yet you didn’t go back for months. I thought-“

“You thought wrong,” Kihyun interrupts. Hyunwoo is silent as he goes on. “I was upset that I was being forced to be devoured by a dragon – be it literally or figuratively. I was unhappy because I wasn’t given a choice. I refused to go back to my village because I resented everyone there who so easily put my life on the line for their own benefit.

“But I stayed because of you. I never returned because I cared for you too much to leave you alone. I chose to live here because I want to be with you. I didn’t want this in the beginning, that much is true, but I do _now_. I’m in love with you, you dense dragon.”

Hyunwoo can feel himself grow warmer at his words, and a smile plays at his lips in happiness. It is short-lived, though, because he really cannot get over Kihyun standing there – he looks nothing like the man who’d arrived at the entrance of the dragon’s home, bedecked in jewels and shivering in both fear and anger. At the time, Hyunwoo’s eyes glinted at the finery that covered his being.

Today, Hyunwoo’s eyes glint at something far more attractive, something that will enrich his treasure – no, something that will put every one of his precious plunders to shame. And when Kihyun pulls him in, whispering a quiet yet firm “Take me, dragon.” Hyunwoo can’t help the growl that leaves his mouth as he falls forward and connects their lips, intending to do just that.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like this one even though I feel like it deserves to be longer. Let me know your thoughts!


	6. 25. Trying to Seduce One Another [smut - succubus!Kihyun & werewolf!Hyunwoo]

After weeks (if not months) of visiting the same person, Kihyun practically knows his way around the shady neigbourhood, the backdrop of the night making it eerier than usual. He’s flying past this street and that, and eventually lands in front of a pair of windows. He doesn’t hear anything except steady breathing from the inside – the occupant seems to be fast asleep. But Kihyun knows better; when he strains his hearing the sound of a racing heartbeat makes it to his ears. The demon licks his lips in anticipation.

This is his latest conquest, a young, sweet male at the cusp of mid-adulthood, yet too sweet to seem it – both in scent and in nature. Kihyun had seen him at a college party, uncomfortable expression and awkward limbs making him stick out like a sore thumb, and he’d been hooked almost immediately. He’s been visiting him nearly every night now, and the succubus is glad that he isn’t the only one enjoying himself, especially when he realized this man – Hyunwoo, he’d later found out – was not another weak human, who usually couldn’t survive his need to satiate his hunger. No, Hyunwoo was much, _much_ more than that.

Kihyun’s eyes narrow at the lock on the inside of the window, expecting it to unlock with his magic the way it always does. Nothing happens. Well-shaped eyebrows furrow, and he squints at it harder, face crumpling in concentration. Nada. Finally he reaches towards it, palm pressing against the glass and surprisingly, it gives way, unlocked and opening easily for him.

His lips widen into a wolfish grin.

 

 

“ _Hngh_.”

The demon pauses, eyes and ears on the male before him. His lips, wrapped around the head of the male’s cock, drag over the bit of muscle before pulling back with an audible _pop_. They don’t leave it alone just yet, pressing themselves against the wet skin as Kihyun makes his way down to the base.

He’s been getting his fill of this one so many times, much more than his usual, but just the smell of the other’s arousal still leaves him heady as if it’s his first. “Are you awake?” A moan is his only reply, and Kihyun grins, sliding forward to capture luscious lips with his own. This male’s kisses are drugging, much like Kihyun’s kisses are on his own victims, and for once he understands just how much power he holds over the beings he covets. The demon pulls away , only to lick the shell of the other’s ear.

“Gonna let you take me tonight, just the way you’ve been begging me to,” he whispers sultrily, hips pushing down to rub lewdly against bigger ones. “Let you fuck me as much as you want, hard as you want to.” Kihyun can’t help but let out a whimper then, as he imagines it. “You want that?,” he asks obliviously, like the male crying out for him isn’t indication enough. “Does my _alpha_ want that big knot to split me open, hm? Want to force all that cum in me, keep it there so that I can feel it, feel you in me for days?”

“ _Yes_ ,” Hyunwoo finally hissed, grinding up to alleviate his need for friction. On top of him, Kihyun smiles, teeth and eyes glinting in the dark as he wills his clothes away in impatience, pressing down hot and heavy against the bigger man. Their erections brush, and Kihyun pants at the feeling. “Fuck, love your cock so much. So –huh – big, tastes so good when you fuck my mouth- _oh, fuck_ ,” Kihyun cries out when Hyunwoo claws at his waist, rutting up freely.

His wolf snaps when his hands travel lower, noting the significantly rounded curve of the demon’s hips. He sucks in a sharp breath; Hyunwoo knew he should have trusted his instincts the moment he first smelled Kihyun. _Omega_ , his wolf whimpers to him, _mate_. “Y-you,” Hyunwoo starts breathlessly, “you’re not male.” Kihyun smirks.

He’d considered taking his initial form, a female who goes by Yeojoo, but the pleasure he gets when receiving as a male could never compare. Hyunwoo hadn’t seemed to mind, either.  But presenting as either gender doesn’t change his abilities, and he’s sure there’s one specific quality of his that this man would go crazy for.

“I’m a male, baby,” he replies easily, grabbing Hyunwoo’s hand to wrap around his length, “But that doesn’t mean I can’t have… what is it your kind prefers to call them? _Pups_?” Hyunwoo chokes at the last words as his wolf growls and snarls. Kihyun does nothing but laugh in excitement as Hyunwoo switches their positions in one quick turn, pinning the smaller down onto soft bedding.

He’s been teased far too long by this creature, nights of being licked and stroked to completion without his control or consent and yet still being deprived of what he really wanted slowly driving the werewolf insane. Kihyun would have him held down, bound by his powers and unable to move as he wished while the demon took his entire length down his throat, never once stopping until he came.

God, he was such a sight – cum and drool running down the sides of his mouth, looking like he’d gotten the best dick in his life. Hyunwoo would cry out for more, wanting to properly fuck him, wanting to feel his ass squeeze around his knot instead of that mouth, but Kihyun would just give him a hard, bruising kiss before leaving him for the night, and the cycle would repeat again, to his frustration.

And with that the male positioned himself, burying his cock to the hilt in one smooth stroke. He can hear the succubus’ breath hitch, but the werewolf can’t focus on anything other than the hot, velvety walls clenching around him deliciously. He doesn’t hesitate, immediately rocking his hips to fuck Kihyun hard and fast, letting out short, animalistic grunts as if in delirium.

“W-wait, I can’t- slow down,” the demon cried, gripping the other’s forearms weakly. Hyunwoo was too big, too much for him – he felt like the werewolf was reaching for his _throat_ the way he forced himself into the smaller’s body each time he slammed in. The drag of his girth was painful in the best way, and the succubus couldn’t do anything except take it, letting out tiny hiccups in dizzying pleasure.

A few more thrusts, and Kihyun’s heart lurches in his throat when the base of Hyunwoo’s length grows in a way his mouth is more familiar with. He tries to say something, struggles to move away when it doesn’t stop because there’s no way he could take more but the other’s grip on him is steel, and he has to bite back a sob when Hyunwoo pushes it past his rim to lodge himself in the demon, falling forward to nuzzle at his neck in relief as he finally starts to release in the snug space.

Even though he’s heaving, the demon naturally feels more energized with each spurt of cum that sloshes around inside him, but he’s still trying to wrap his head around everything that just happened so he barely notices when sharp teeth graze at the skin of his neck, the pinpricks of pain not even registering in his mind. He tilts his head, and sees Hyunwoo’s fangs out, tongue lapping at the blood that gathered on the surface of Kihyun’s skin.

“Wanna mark you,” the werewolf mumbles tiredly, distracted by the sweet taste of the demon’s blood. “Wanna make you my mate, want you to bear my pups.” Kihyun can’t help but smile softly, taking Hyunwoo’s face into his palms and pulling him up for a slow, deep kiss. He knows it’s probably more of the pheromones and knot doing the talking, but he feels strangely warm when thinking about sharing a life with this cute, familiar stranger. He’s never felt that way before, though – that should count for something, right?

“We’ll talk about that after your knot goes down, big guy. You can take me on a date in the morning, and we’ll see how things go.”

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look at me, going into writing smut all of a sudden. I can't take credit for this succubus/werewolf idea, this was actually inspired by a fic I read a while ago from the BaekYeol fandom. I can't for the life of me remember what it's called, but it was so so so so well-written and I'll be sure to link it if I do come across it (If you know which one I'm talking about, lmk please!!)
> 
> On a side note, I'll be going into a bit of a slumber for a while, just to focus a little more on school and keep things balanced. I won't be posting anything new for a while, but you can always drop me a comment if you'd like! I always welcome criticism, or even suggestions for future prompts/stories.


	7. 19. Spoiling One Another [fluff - dog hybrid!Hyunwoo & owner/caretaker!Kihyun]

Kihyun stepped out of the elevator of his apartment complex with a sigh, loosening his tie with his left palm as his right cups the back of his neck. It’s sore, and feels tender to the touch. His shoulders are tense and he thinks he can feel a slight headache coming on; the male reminds himself to take a couple of painkillers as soon as he gets some food in his system.

He reaches the second last apartment on the floor and types in his passcode, turning the handle once the light on the security system is green and he hears the door unlock. “I’m home,” he calls out, closing the door behind him and slipping off his shoes with a slight huff.

There’s the familiar patter of feet coming towards him, and before Kihyun can look up a larger figure has him in a firm hold. He inhales the familiar, comforting scent, and his body almost immediately relaxes, stiff muscles loosening as relief washes over him. A smile tugs at his lips, and his arms wrap around a thick waist, returning the hug wholeheartedly.

“Hyunnie-ah,” he cooed, letting go of the hybrid in favour of reaching behind him to scratch the back of his ear softly. Hyunwoo hummed at the pleasant feeling, tail swaying and repeatedly brushing against Kihyun’s calf in a lazy manner. The latter goes back to removing his socks, but Hyunwoo doesn’t let up. In fact, the hybrid tightens his hold on Kihyun’s waist; face pressing into Kihyun’s clothed shoulder as if he’s trying to meld himself with the human.

Kihyun chuckles in amusement, looking down at Hyunwoo and patting his cheek lovingly. “Did you miss me that much?,” he questions, teasing note present in his voice. Hyunwoo raises his head to meet Kihyun’s gaze, giving the human a small nod, eyes wide and unblinking. The smaller suddenly feels bad – he’s been working too much the past week, always leaving before the hybrid woke and returning well after Hyunwoo had fallen asleep by the couch, waiting for him.

“I’m sorry, baby,” he murmured as he leaned in to peck plush lips softly, tone laced with warm affection. “I’ve been busy, but I’ll make it up to you. We can order some pizza and watch a movie, how’s that sound? And I’ll stay home tomorrow, too. We can cuddle the whole day, yeah?” The way Hyunwoo’s eyes shine with happiness, coupled with the sweet, bright smile he rewards the human with is so worth irresponsibly dumping his job, Kihyun thinks.

It hasn’t always been that way. The male was – and sometimes still is, clearly – a workaholic to the bone. It hadn’t been a problem before, when he still lived with his flatmate and longtime best friend who made sure he ate three meals and picked up after him (even though Lee Minhyuk couldn’t cook to save his life and was always the one with the messier room).

But Minhyuk moved out a little less than four months ago, choosing to live with his boyfriend of three years, and while it was lonely to come home to an empty apartment at night, Kihyun didn’t mind. His best friend was happy, and the two of them always made time for each other, so it wasn’t too bad.

Living alone did mean that Kihyun didn’t take care of himself as well as he was supposed to, though, and Minhyuk certainly wasn’t about to let him get away with it – and that was how Hyunwoo came into the picture.

 

_“Minhyuk,” Kihyun hissed into the speaker, eyes trained on the stranger sitting quietly on his couch from where he’s sitting in the kitchen. On the other end, Minhyuk groaned in irritation. “Kihyun, it’s only 9. Why are you up so e-,” a yawn cut him off, and Kihyun rolled his eyes “early? It’s Saturday.”_

_“Well,” he replied, gritting his teeth, “why don’t you ask the hybrid that’s sitting in my living room?”_

_“Oh, he’s here? That was pretty quick; I paid for him just last Wednesday. The agency really does work fast. That’s your birthday present, by the way. Happy advanced birthday, you’re getting old.”_

_“Minhyuk!,” he screeched in reply, grabbing a fistful of his hair in frustration. “How could you do this without asking me first? A hybrid is a lot of responsibility, you know that!” Minhyuk remained unbothered, and it only aggravated the other even more._

_“Exactly,” he replied calmly. “You need that kind of responsibility, Kihyun, trust me. It’s just like parents who train their kids by giving them pets.”_

_“Parents usually start with plants or plush toys so that the kid doesn’t accidentally kill the pet,” Kihyun deadpanned. The other male simply laughs, and Kihyun hears the coffee machine he got Minhyuk for the other male’s birthday beeping in the distance. “Minhyuk, you have to take him back. I don’t have time to take care of myself, let alone another person.”_

_Minhyuk sighs. Kihyun can tell he’s thinking. In that time the hybrid – Hyunwoo, according to his birth certificate – stepped into the area, ears perking as soon as he spots Kihyun. The male notes how his tail hangs low, almost curled in between his legs and his heart softens. He gives him a reassuring smile, patting the stool beside him. The hybrid takes a seat, allowing his eyes to wander._

_“I won’t force you, Kihyun,” Minhyuk finally speaks. His tone is solemn, and Kihyun knows Minhyuk isn’t taking this as lightly as he made it seem. “If it really doesn’t work out, I’ll return him. But I really think he’ll be good for you. Just try for a couple weeks.” Kihyun opens his mouth to protest, and Minhyuk cuts him off before words even form. “Please, Kihyunnie? For me?,” he begs, and it’s that damned nickname that gets Kihyun every time._

_That, and Hyunwoo’s pretty, almond-shaped eyes that look so honest and innocent as they stare at the human when Kihyun looks over at him._

The rest, as they say, was history. Kihyun had to make a lot of adjustments to his home and his lifestyle to fit the newcomer, but even he had to admit they were all for the better. With a companion now under his wing, the human cut down his hours at work, choosing to bring it home if necessary. He started cooking again too – a hobby from his and Minhyuk’s college days that he didn’t have time to pursue after he’d started working. The biggest, best change was Hyunwoo himself, though: his mellow presence and sweet personality a wonderful addition to Kihyun’s quiet life.

 

“How was your day, baby?,” Kihyun asked as they sat on the kitchen island, a large box of pizza between them. He watches as Hyunwoo opens his mouth to answer, before pausing and taking his time to chew and swallow his food first. The human smiles proudly, reaching over to run his hand through soft brown hair in appreciation.

“It was good!,” Hyunwoo answered enthusiastically, and he launches into full detail about the things he’d done and the places he’d been. Kihyun listens attentively, giving encouraging hums and an excited “Wow, really?!” every so often to keep the hybrid going. It’s not often that Hyunwoo is so cute and eager to speak, so Kihyun cherishes this moment. It also shows just how much he’d missed his owner, and Kihyun vows to himself to never leave the hybrid alone if he could help it.

Kihyun ends up finishing first, and he goes off to take a shower while the hybrid cleaned up and picked a movie for them to watch. Kihyun steps into the living room, clad in only a clean pair of sleeping shorts, and Hyunwoo impatiently calls him over, movie ready and set on pause. He’d chosen a horror movie, apparently, because both of them are more amused than scared by it – they found the gore and jumpscares too predictable and unrealistic to fear.

They end up with Hyunwoo’s head on Kihyun’s lap; the human plays with his hair and massages his scalp just way Hyunwoo likes it. Despite planning to watch it, the movie serves as white noise as they talk some more, and Kihyun listens as Hyunwoo mumbles about all the things they could do tomorrow – there’s a café a few stops away by train he thinks Kihyun would like, oh, and they could go to the mall too, he misses playing with the arcade games but it wasn’t as fun when he played without Kihyun – and he goes on and on, until he drifts off in the middle of a sentence.

Kihyun only smiles at the sight, heart swelling with love for the hybrid – _his_ hybrid. “Sleep well, Hyunnie,” he whispers, bending to press a light kiss against the side of Hyunwoo’s temple.

“I love you.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How was this? Let me know your thoughts! Also, kinda long, unnecessary rant ahead, feel free to skip.
> 
> Lately I've been feeling a little down regarding my writing. Not writing per se, it's more to posting works. I've become quite self-conscious and always thinking that my writing is too stiff/not good/could have been better, and I've been a little hesitant (?) to post anything new. I mean, insecurities are one thing, we all deal with it and I've been dealing with it. But nowadays it's become quite difficult. I've been very tempted to just take down my account or orphan my works and quit, but I feel like it's unfair, because there are people who do enjoy what I put out and look forward to my works. And also, to aim to be perfect is silly in itself - no one can be perfect, and I'd like to think I'm improving and getting better and really, that's all that should matter to me.
> 
> I don't really know what I'm trying to say here, but I guess we're all learning from each other and this is all for fun and for the love of ships, right? I love ShowKi, we all love ShowKi and all these fics are just to celebrate our beloved ship. It shouldn't matter who writes better than me, because my style is my style and it'll never be theirs and vice versa. Yeah.
> 
> Sorry guys, guess I just needed to get it off my chest. See you guys on the next one, and thanks for reading my word vomit, sorry you had to put up with it!


	8. 13. In a Fairytale [greek myth!AU - Hades!Hyunwoo & Persephone!Kihyun]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rated M for suggestive themes.

In this lifetime he is a man named Hyunwoo, and she - well, he - answers to Kihyun. Though he is male, Persephone remains the same; he is no less beautiful, nor is the power that thrums under his skin any less intense, hidden by the cloak of mortality like a veil – a constant reminder to the god about Persephone’s true status as Queen of the Underworld, and more importantly, the Queen of his Heart.

He brings him to his home - a small yet comfortable loft, with dim lighting and dull walls that remind him of his palace underground, and the first thing Persephone – Kihyun, he reminds himself; the god had a tendency of not keeping up appearances by calling his Queen by his true name – does is to walk over to the tiny indoor garden the previous tenants had kept.

There is nothing but dry soil in the box – Hades is, as it is known, not a gardener by nature; the only time he had done similar work was when he’d gifted his Queen a garden of riches, with vines that were made of bronze and gems that resemble the flowers he has seen her attempt to grow in her courtyard but couldn’t survive from the lack of Sun.

(It doesn’t compare to the beauty of the spring that Persephone brings to the world above, and he tells her as much with a sheepish smile, but Hades will never forget the gentle smile she gave him, before pressing close and leaving a warm kiss on the skin of his neck and a whisper of gratitude caressing his ear.)   

He watches as Kihyun grabs a handful of it, playing with it, dirtying his palm and nails before plunging fingers into the box. A handful of buds spring forth, gentle and undemanding, and Hyunwoo has seen enough of them to recognise just what Kihyun is sprouting.

Narcissus.

Pleased with his powers taking effect, Kihyun finally gives his attention to the other once more, walking to him in slow, measured steps before throwing his arms around his broad frame and pulling him flush against Kihyun’s smaller form. He leans upward, eyes fluttering closed, and Hyunwoo does not hesitate to meet him halfway.

Hades never tires of kissing Persephone. Some things never change - the way their lips move against one another, how Persephone loves to fist his hair, causing him to tighten his hold, pull them as close as possible - but with each new body his Goddess is slightly different; in scent, and taste, even. He falls harder and harder each time.

This time is no exception: when Kihyun starts rocking his hips, rubbing himself slow and sure against Hyunwoo’s thigh and moaning low at the feeling, it does not take long for the taller male to grow heavy with need. The shorter is panting into his mouth, and Hyunwoo pulls back to take a good look at him. Kihyun looks lecherous, lips swollen and eyes wet from unshed tears. Hyunwoo grows hungrier; he wants to _devour_ him.

And devour he does for the rest of the night – Hyunwoo takes him, and then does it twice more when Kihyun pulls him back into bed each time he tries to grab a washcloth to clean them up. They don’t stop until daybreak, when the light of the sun paints them in shades of yellow and it feels too pure to do much else.

They take the time to stare at one another then, tracing each other’s features with their eyes and hands as they catch their breaths and travel through the haze of bliss together.

"Aidoneus," he had whispered lovingly, soft fingertips reaching up to stroke the edge of his jaw, and Hyunwoo had pulled him into an embrace without a second's thought. Persephone is warm as always, and he shivers in his arms because Hades himself is always cold, and the Wealthy One smiles.

It is good to be reunited with his Queen once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is 100 percent self-indulgent - I love myth, and am especially partial to Greek myth, particularly the god Hades and goddess Persephone - so this may not make a lot of sense and may even seem confusing. Basically what I was going for was this train of thought I think I got from reading the Percy Jackson series, where it's said that gods are sort of weakened when they lack worship. So here they basically take rebirths as humans, and they sort of forget their true natures and powers, only remembering when prompted by meeting another god or something powerful like that. 
> 
>  
> 
> Narcissus - The yellow narcissus plays a part in the kidnapping of Persephone by Hades. It was planted there to catch Persephone's attention, and when she plucked the flower from the Earth the ground gave way and allowed Hades to appear from the Underworld, successfully capturing her.
> 
> Aidoneus - Another one of Hades' names he sometimes goes by.
> 
> The Wealthy One - Since riches came from the abode below the Earth (the Underworld), the Greeks referred to Hades by this instead ('Plouton' in Greek) for fear of associating themselves with death by pronouncing his true name.


	9. 9. Hugging [christmas!fic/getting back together - divorced parents!showki]

It’s almost midnight by the time Kihyun and the kids get home; they’ve been out the entire day, doing last-minute present shopping for Jooheon’s classmates. This was supposed to be his ex-husband’s job, since Kihyun had already done the same for Changkyun’s daycare teachers but somehow it slipped his mind to inform Hyunwoo when he came to pick them up last week, and Jooheon had been expecting Kihyun to take him anyway.

They’re all settled in and ready for bed, both boys having enjoyed the rare occasion of running around and getting spoiled with treats the whole day and letting it wear them down, so it comes as a surprise when Kihyun steps into the living room after a quick shower to see the two waiting for him by the sofa, uncharacteristically quiet.

“Hey,” he grins, taking a seat between them. Jooheon and Changkyun immediately snuggle into his embrace, pressing their faces into his waist without saying a word. _Now this is definitely weird_ , Kihyun thinks. Silence is nothing but deadly when it comes to these two, and then pulling the innocent, sweet card? Kihyun doesn’t doubt for a second that he’s being plotted against. “Appa,” Changkyun starts slowly. Kihyun hums, looking between his sons expectantly. His face crinkles in amusement when they argue in whispers, each one hissing at the other as if he couldn’t hear them.

“You ask!”

“No, you said you’ll ask, so you do it!”

“I don’t wanna, you do it!”

“Hey, hey,” the oldest interrupts with a chuckle, “stop that and tell me. What’s up?” Changkyun glares at his brother, only to receive a resigned huff in return. Kihyun waits patiently as Jooheon hesitates and looks right at him. His eyes are wide and earnest and honestly, Kihyun is very intrigued now. Whatever did his children want?

“Appa,” he tries, “for Christmas... can we spend it together?” Kihyun’s encouraging smiles dims a little. “But we are, remember? You guys will be with me until Uncle Hyungwon’s Christmas party in the afternoon, then your Hyunwoo-appa will pick you up and you can go see grandma and grandpa!,” he explains, a little confused. Was that all? _Why were they so nervous about that?_ “No, appa, we wanna be together,” Changkyun says, echoing his brother’s words. “We wanna stay with you _and_ Hyunwoo-appa.”

_Oh. Well._

Kihyun thinks about it for a moment. It’s not that he doesn’t want to… or maybe it is. He doesn’t want to deal with Hyunwoo more than necessary. He doesn’t want to spend Christmas with Hyunwoo. There’s a hard lump in his throat as he thinks of his former spouse, one that leaves his chest in painful constrictions.

He doesn’t want to act like a family with Hyunwoo. Kihyun doesn’t think his heart can take it.

They’ve been living separately for almost six months now, although Hyunwoo and he aren’t officially divorced yet (Kihyun’s pretty sure if the government made it just as difficult to get married, fewer people would end up making drunk or quick, unthinking decisions – the male swears that even adoption had been less complicated); this was going to be their first Christmas as not-a-family.

 The reason they split wasn’t obvious, even if Kihyun was the one who insisted. If he really thought about it, Kihyun would say that it was all the little, insignificant things – from the way Hyunwoo’s family never really accepted him and Hyunwoo not bothering to do anything about it, right up to Kihyun feeling like he and Hyunwoo have grown apart, especially since they had their boys.

Of course, that didn’t mean it was the kids’ fault. Never. Just like it wasn’t their fault that they wanted a normal Christmas with both their parents.

So Kihyun ignored the way his heart thudded almost painfully in his chest, swallowed the bitter taste in his mouth and managed a weak smile and a nod, unconsciously letting it grow when Jooheon and Changkyun’s eyes shine in excitement and they pepper him with kisses as thanks.

 

 

It’s Christmas Eve, and despite the rarity in South Korea, it snows. Jooheon and Changkyun are ecstatic, and Kihyun doesn’t have the heart to remind them that it probably wouldn’t last through the night and bless them all with a white Christmas the way it is on the Home Alone movies they watch every year.

He lets them play outside the whole day even though there’s barely a few inches of the white stuff, until the sun starts to set and Kihyun reminds them that they promised to help him cook and bake cookies for the party tomorrow and the dinner he, Hyunwoo and the kids were going to have together in Kihyun’s house – apparently Hyunwoo hadn’t been planning to visit his family this Christmas, so he was as free as a bird to celebrate with Kihyun and their children.

“Really? That sounds fun actually, I should have thought of that, since I don’t really go home anymore,” he muttered when Kihyun called the other about Jooheon and Changkyun’s request. When Kihyun had asked what the older meant, albeit hesitantly Hyunwoo just waved it off, and Kihyun felt that he was too much of a stranger at that point to pry.

So the male really shouldn’t have been surprised when he opened the door to a bright, familiar smile that evening just as the kids and he sat down for dinner.

 “Hi,” Hyunwoo greeted with a serene grin. “What are you doing here?,” the other questioned, tone harsh in surprise. He saw the way Hyunwoo flinched a little and immediately schooled his expression into something a little friendlier, opening the door wider and letting the man in. “I meant why did you show up all of a sudden? I thought we were seeing you at Hyungwon’s party tomorrow,” Kihyun tried again, trying to calm the nervous beating of his heart as he stared at Hyunwoo fumble with his shoes and many bags.

God, his ex-husband really was the cutest thing Kihyun has ever laid eyes on.

“Huh?,” Hyunwoo questioned, not really paying attention to the smaller male. “Oh, the kids called me with your phone. Told me you were baking and cooking for tomorrow and that I can’t have any if I didn’t come help.” Kihyun huffed, reminding himself to reprimand the two for using his phone like that. _Honestly_ , he thought in aggravation. _Was Hyunwoo letting them pick up bad habits like these?_ As if sensing Kihyun’s thoughts the older man chuckled, denying any part in Jooheon’s and Changkyun’s mischief.

The rest of the night is loud and full of laughter and chatter as they went about eating and baking and cooking (all in the wrong order, _Hyunwoo stop tasting the freaking batter, even Jooheon knows bett– Jooheon you put that finger in your mouth and I will not hesitate to give your presents away!_ ), but even as Kihyun laughs at Hyunwoo burning his tongue from stealing a cookie fresh off the tray, his heart feels a little heavier than normal in his chest.

He really, really wants this to last.

 

 

“The kids are asleep.”

Kihyun breathed out a sigh in relief from his place by the sink, shoulders sagging in fatigue as he dried the last of the dishes; Hyunwoo insisted they cleaned together, the way they used to – with the latter washing and Kihyun wiping and putting them away, before going off to put the kids to bed. That was one job done, at least. The male can practically hear his bed singing to him, because he knows tomorrow is just going to be hell from the moment Jooheon and Changkyun woke up. He just wants to sink into his soft warm sheets and get as much shut-eye as he could - he'll need it to deal with the havoc Christmas with his kids always seem to bring.

Hyunwoo is right behind him now, and Kihyun tries his best to remain oblivious, but he knows his tense shoulders and hardened, white knuckles gripping the counter are a dead giveaway that he is anything _but_. He can smell the man, the familiar fragrance of coffee and Hyunwoo’s favourite cologne a musk the younger man always found comforting. Kihyun can sense his warmth, and it’s been so long since he’s been this close with someone, this close with _Hyunwoo_ that it takes everything in him to not lean back into the taller’s chest.

God, he missed this.

It’s silent for what seems like an eternity, with Hyunwoo breathing into his neck until there are goosebumps running all over him. And then, without saying anything, Hyunwoo’s arms find their way around Kihyun’s waist and his head meets the width of Kihyun’s shoulder. Kihyun freezes against him, but Hyunwoo either doesn’t notice, or doesn’t care. “I miss you,” the older murmurs, words muffled by his shirt, and it’s the sincerity in his voice that lets all of Kihyun’s walls crumble down. He missed him. He missed Kihyun, the same way the smaller male missed him.

It seems like he isn’t expecting a reply from the younger, because Hyunwoo goes on. “I still love you, Kihyun-ah. So much.”

And just like that, Kihyun’s walls are all back up again.

He struggles, but Hyunwoo is unrelenting in his hold. “Well, I don’t,” he lies, gritting his teeth. In love or not, Kihyun doesn’t appreciate being manhandled like this. “Let me go, Hyunwoo. It’s rude to touch people like this without permission.”

“You’re lying.”

It’s not being called out that makes him stop. No, it’s the tone of confidence, of surety that makes Kihyun pause. Hyunwoo doesn’t sound arrogant or smug; instead, the male’s voice is calm, almost matter-of-fact. “You love me,” he asserts. “You still love me, I know you do.”

“I’m sorry, Kihyun,” Hyunwoo whispers regretfully. The shorter’s brows furrow. “What for?,” he asks in reply slowly. Kihyun is careful, skittish; he’s treading dangerous waters here. There’s so much happening in one night, too much for him to handle. “I’m sorry,” Hyunwoo repeats again, “I promised to take care of you, but I didn’t. I told you I’d love you and look after you and make you happy the day I married you, Kihyunnie, but I did the complete opposite. I’m so sorry.”

Kihyun’s shoulders are shaking from the effort to not break down in tears, so much that it takes him a moment to realize that Hyunwoo is nudging him to turn around. He does, facing the man he loves, the man who _loves him_ , and Kihyun’s gaze blurs when he meets Hyunwoo’s watery eyes.

He gets a little strength from this, a little courage. Just a little, but it’s enough.

The younger moves forward slowly, pressing his face into the pocket of Hyunwoo’s shirt. He used to love doing that - used to love being in Hyunwoo’s embrace more than anything. Hyunwoo’s palm brackets the small of his back, the other laying lightly on his hair.

Kihyun breathes a deep, shuddering breath.

 

 

Later, when the clock strikes midnight and the sound of fireworks is loud and booming outside, Jooheon and Changkyun tiptoe out into the living room, curious as to why the lights are turned on. There they find their parents, bodies tangled together on the couch and fast asleep, oblivious to everything around them.

Jooehon giggles in excitement and goes running to them, but Changkyun grips his arm and presses a finger to his lips urgently, shushing him. The older understands almost immediately, and the two retreat to their bedroom after gifting their dads kisses to the cheeks and quiet whispers of “Merry Christmas, appa.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This came out of nowhere, quite literally. I've been in the hospital, for those of you who didn't know (nothing serious, don't worry) and I thought I'd be spending my Christmas there but I was allowed to go home to recuperate the rest of the way. I wasn't planning on doing any writing until after the New Year, but this practically wrote itself and well. There's that. On a side note, I showed this to a friend real quick because I wanted to post it asap and she said this reminds her of the way I used to write before this. I think so too, even though I can't really tell the difference between my writing styles lol. What do you guys think? Let me know!
> 
> If it's already the 25th where you are (just like me), Merry Christmas! If it's still the 24th then yay I wanted to get this out before Christmas since the story is set before that. Also I don't think I'll post anything until next year, so advanced Happy New Year to all of you as well! I hope 2018 was a great year for you, and I hope 2019 will be an even better one <3


	10. 24.Dealing with Children [ABO/Omegaverse - alphas!ShowKi]

When they first came home with baby Jooheon, to say that Hyunwoo was ecstatic was an understatement. The adoption process was already tedious to begin with, but with him _and_ Kihyun both being alphas it was unfairly gruesome – legal complications aside, Hyunwoo would never forget the way he had to physically hold Kihyun back from lunging at the omega at their local adoption office when she sneered at them in disdain each time they went back.

It took them more than half a year and many, many tries, but they were finally able to bring the little beta one sunny afternoon, joyfully laughing at the way he gurgled and waved short, thick arms around in excitement each time Kihyun cooed at him. They were planning to get a girl initially – Hyunwoo almost melted at the idea of raising a sweet little omega when Kihyun suggested it to him – but they took one look at the pup, smiling and taking to them both so easily, and neither had the heart to leave him behind.

 

They’ve only had him for a while now, but it feels as if Jooheon’s always been there with them. Sure, a baby comes with extra responsibilities – Hyunwoo knows they got away with it easy, because the pup is almost a year old and fusses a lot less than, say, a newborn – but it’s been nothing the couple couldn’t handle. The two of them worked freelance, but Hyunwoo’s current project was coming to an end, so he had to clock in at the office nearly every day of the week to finalise everything before he left, leaving only Kihyun with their pup most of the day.

However, today Hyunwoo was home, and Kihyun took the chance to leave this time, deciding to drop by his own workplace for a bit and then run some errands. Jooheon had been in his crib napping when the shorter alpha left. Everything was quiet, and Hyunwoo even got some shut-eye on the couch – until the baby started wailing, that is. The alpha awoke with a start, rushing into their bedroom and scooping the beta into his arms. He checked Jooheon’s diaper – it was clean. Was he hungry? But that couldn’t be, they fed him just a couple hours ago. “What’s wrong, Honey-yah?,” Hyunwoo murmured, worry creeping into his mind as Jooheon kept bawling.

He tried rocking the child, a firm palm on the beta’s back as Hyunwoo bounced him lightly in hopes of getting him to quiet down and maybe even fall asleep, but Jooheon was inconsolable. _Well this is a first_ , the alpha thinks, his left ear starting to ring from the baby’s shrill voice. Jooheon had never thrown a fit like this, at least not when he was around. Had he ever gotten like this with Kihyun? Hyunwoo mentally made a note to ask the male when he returned. "Come on, pup, you gotta tell me what you want for me to help you out,” he said uselessly, craning his head to look at Jooheon’s flushed face.

Hyunwoo held the beta and paced around their apartment until his arms and legs grew tired, but to no avail – Jooheon kept at it, little body heaving from the onslaught of tears. The alpha was at his wits’ end – he doesn’t know what the pup wants. Frustrated, Hyunwoo began to purr lightly, hoping the sound would comfort the baby and get him to stop. It seemed to work, and Hyunwoo’s shoulders sagged in relief as the sobbing was reduced to faint whimpers before subsiding completely. His arms were killing him, but the alpha didn’t want to jostle Jooheon and risk having him cry again, so he cradled the infant, whispering a quiet “Appa’s here, baby, don’t cry,” over and over, purring in between each murmur until the baby let himself be lulled to sleep by the comforting rumbles of his father’s chest.

 

A few days later, Hyunwoo is standing over the stove, expertly flipping pancakes into two stacks for him and Kihyun. It’s 11, a little too late for breakfast, but it’s the weekend and they have a habit of sleeping in anyways. Besides, it’s only the baby that needs to be fed on time. He can hear Kihyun and their little one behind him from where the other alpha placed him on the counter; the younger is having a one-sided conversation with Jooheon, listening to the pup’s baby talk and repeating the unintelligible sounds he made back at him.

Hyunwoo isn’t really listening to them, mind and gaze fixed on the last pancake. It was starting to stick to the pan and he scrambled to save it, and only after he turned off the stove did the alpha hear Kihyun calling him repeatedly. “Hyung…,” the younger mumbled, voice trailing off. “Yeah?,” he replied, finally turning to face the pair, watching in confused silence as Kihyun stared at Jooheon as if the baby grew a second head. Jooheon remained oblivious, motioning at the taller alpha with an outstretched hand, little body swaying precariously from the lack of balance as he giggled at Hyunwoo, but was kept steady by Kihyun’s grip on him.

“Pa! A-ppa pa pa!”

Hyunwoo stared in shock. “What did he say?,” he gasped, stalking over to the two and towering over Jooheon. The beta giggled, wiggling towards Hyunwoo, as if asking to be held. The tan alpha stood still. _I can’t believe_ it, he thought. _Did Jooheon just-_

“Pa!,” the beta cried, trashing around even more violently as he stared at Hyunwoo, before beginning to whimper while holding both his arms out. “Appa!” Hyunwoo was in so much shock; he picked the pup up without a second thought and stared at him. “Honey-yah, appa?,” he asked seriously, but the beta only giggled and squirmed in excitement, smacking Hyunwoo’s jaw with a chubby fist. “Appa!,” he cheered happily.

Hyunwoo bursts into tears.

He sniffled, burying his face in Joooheon’s little frame as a sudden hoard of feelings overwhelmed him. He heard Kihyun laugh lightly beside them. “You’re _crying_?,” the shorter mocked, but the Hyunwoo didn’t miss how thick his voice sounded, and he didn’t need to look to tell that the smaller alpha’s eyes were probably shiny with tears as well. “Shut up,” he croaked in reply, reaching out to grab Kihyun by the waist and pull him close, and together they played with their Jooheon, smiling at him and each other.

 _Their_ Jooheon _._ Their little pup.

And they wouldn’t trade him for anything in the world.


	11. 18. One of them is Sick [marriage/wedding!AU - sick!hyunwoo]

Hyunwoo is startled awake by the sound of his ringtone and a splitting headache. He squints an eye open, hand running all over the bed to find the damned thing before picking it up and grunting into the receiver. “ _Hyunwoo!_ ,” Hoseok shouted on the other end of the line. “ _Where are you, man? Hyungwonnie is getting grouchy, you know how he hates waiting.”_  The male pulled his phone away from his ear, watching as the screen automatically lit up. His eyes zeroed in on the clock at the corner. _10:36._

He was supposed to meet Hyungwon at the church at 10.

_Fuck._

He shot out of bed, groaning when the pain in his head intensified. “I’m coming, I’m coming,” he muttered, cutting the call before he could get a response. He walked over to the bathroom, opening the cabinet behind the mirror and grabbing the bottle of aspirin Kihyun kept. The two of them lived together, but somehow their friends had all convinced them that “traditions needed to be kept”, so Kihyun left to stay with his parents the last few days leading up to the wedding and neither of them heard from each other, save for the good morning messages they exchanged every day.

 

“Hyung, just because it’s your wedding day doesn’t mean you can wake up as late as you- what happened to you?,” Hyungwon questioned later, a slight frown marring his features as he took in Hyunwoo’s unkempt appearance. “I couldn’t sleep,” the older muttered, looking around the small backroom. “Is Kihyun already here?” Hyungwon nods, analyzing his face the whole while.

“You look like a fucking panda hyung, and not in a cute way. No concealer is going to cover up those bags completely,” he sighed. “Why do you guys like to make my life difficult?” Hyunwoo doesn’t really know what to say to that, mostly because he couldn’t pay attention to anything other than his throbbing skull, but it seems the younger man didn’t expect a reply from him, handing him a baby blue towel and ordering Hyunwoo to take a shower instead. “But I took one before I got here!,” he protested in reply.

“Yeah, a 5-minute one, I bet,” the other deadpanned. “Get in there, hyung, and I don’t want you out for at least 20 minutes. Oh, and wash your hair.”

 

 

There was a soft knock on the door, and Hyunwoo wandered over to open it. “Hyungwon-,” he started, before stopping short, because it wasn’t Hyungwon. It was Kihyun, clad in his royal blue wedding suit. He looks all dolled up, hair styled and makeup giving him a lovely glow. Hyunwoo thinks that his soon-to-be-husband looks, frankly speaking, _absolutely breathtaking_ , especially after not seeing him for a few days. He wants to tell Kihyun as much, but what comes out of his mouth is a light “What happened to bad luck?” and an amused half-grin instead.

“Bad luck can fuck off,” Kihyun grumbles, letting himself in and locking the door behind them. “Don’t ever let me listen to anything that comes out of Lee Minhyuk’s mouth again. I missed you.” A hand cups Hyunwoo’s jaw and Kihyun leans in, so the older lets his eyes flutter closed, waiting to feel familiar lips against his. A few seconds pass without anything, and Hyunwoo opens his eyes, looking to see Kihyun staring at him intently.

“Are you okay? You don’t look so well,” he says, concerned. Hyunwoo nods with a smile, telling the other not to worry. “It’s just a small headache, it’ll go away.”

“Well, we had aspirin-,” Kihyun starts. “Yeah, I took a couple, but they’re not helping. It’s fine, relax. I missed you too, you know.” The younger doesn’t look like he believes him, but Hyunwoo leans down to let their foreheads touch and he forgets about everything, enjoying the way their breaths mingle, almost kissing one another but not quite. Kihyun grows impatient, however, pressing their lips together firmly while his hands fist the waist of Hyunwoo’s old tee, and the latter finally opens his mouth as his hands grip the younger’s sleeve-covered arms, deepening the kiss when-

“Yoo Kihyun, I know you’re in there! Get the fuck out, don’t make me commit murder in the house of the Lord!,” a muffled voice shouts from outside the room, accompanied by harsh tugs to the doorknob. The couple breaks apart and stares at the door before bursting into quiet snickers. “I have to go,” Kihyun murmurs with a smile so sweet Hyunwoo couldn’t help but pull him into another kiss, making no move to pull away. “Oh yeah, definitely,” the taller murmurs against swollen pink lips, but his grip on Kihyun doesn’t lessen. “Hell hath no fury like a Minhyuk scorned.”

A series of impatient knocks interrupt them again. “Hyunwoo-hyung,” Minhyuk screeches, “if Kihyun doesn’t come out in the next ten seconds I’m going to make you a widower _before you guys even get married_!” Hyunwoo laughs, finally letting go of his fiancé. “Go,” he says, patting the smaller male’s butt playfully. Kihyun gives him a small smile. “I’ll see you later?,” he asks, and Hyunwoo nods, grinning.

 

 

“Kihyunnie,” Hyunwoo cooed, perching his chin on the younger’s shoulder, watching as he waved at someone in the crowd of people in front of them. The reception had only just started; the wedding had gone spectacularly. At least Hyunwoo assumed it did – it took everything in him to act normal, and even then all he could do was smile back at Kihyun and say his vows softly, breathing as evenly as he could manage through his mouth when his nose clogged up from the cold air of the altar – and well, if Kihyun hadn’t freaked out (which he didn’t), then that meant all went well.

The smaller male hummed lightly in reply, raising a palm to pat Hyunwoo’s cheek in acknowledgement. He expected Hyunwoo to whine about being tired or hungry and wanting to finally sit and enjoy the food they’d painstakingly paid for (really, the cost for a decent wedding was _atrocious_ – the two of them had even joked about running off and signing the damned papers without telling anyone at one point); what he didn’t expect, however, was for Hyunwoo’s skin to be alarmingly hot to the touch.

Kihyun whirled around, relaxed features marred by concern. His frown deepened when he noticed Hyunwoo’s flushed cheeks and droopy eyes, and the way the older sighed in relief when he pressed the back of his palm to Hyunwoo’s burning forehead. “Hyung, you’ve got a fever,” he muttered lowly. Hyunwoo wanted to deny it, because they were in the middle of a wedding, their _own_ wedding on top of that, but he felt lethargic and not up for an argument with the younger, so he just grinned dopily and pressed himself into Kihyun’s side, hugging him by the waist and nuzzling his neck.

The smaller male sighed. This wouldn’t do – as crazy as it sounded, they had to leave. He looked around, wondering how were they were going to do just that when he spotted a familiar build by one of the large guests’ tables in front of them, chatting away with his and Hyunwoo’s parents. “Jooheon-ah,” he called, raising his voice a little to beat the noise. Kihyun smiled lightly as Jooheon excused himself and made his way to the couple. “Yeah, hyung?,” he asked, before noticing the skinship and chuckling. “Oh, Hyunwoo-hyung is being extra affectionate today.”

Kihyun snorted. “No, he’s being clingy. Listen,” he says, voice turning serious at the end, “I know it’s not nice to do this, but hyung is sick and I think we should go. Do you guys think you can handle it here? I don’t mean to dump it all on you-“

“No worries, hyung,” Jooheon says with a concerned look on his face, cutting the male off. “We’ll take care of everything. Call me when you get home, okay?”

“Thanks, Jooheon-ah,” Kihyun breathed, snaking an arm around Hyunwoo’s waist to steady him. “We owe you guys one.”

 

 

“You must be the only person in the world to get sick on their wedding night.”

Hyunwoo pouted but wisely kept his mouth shut. Kihyun seemed exasperated as it was, and the older didn’t want to aggravate him any further. He simply watched, breathing noisily as the younger loosened his tie and popped the buttons of his dress shirt open and shrugging it off, before doing the same with Hyunwoo and haphazardly placing the clothing in a crumpled heap on the coffee table. “Are you going to take advantage of me, Kihyunnie?,” the older questioned with a sleazy grin, staring at Kihyun’s lean, toned body that was covered by his undershirt in an unabashed manner.

 “Shut up, Hyunwoo-hyung,” Kihyun snapped in reply, but there was no real bite in his words. He stood in front the older, looking down at him from where Hyunwoo sat on the couch with his hands folded across his chest and a menacing expression on his face. “You rarely ever fall sick, and of all times you choose to do it on the day you get married! What did you even do? I wasn’t here for like, five days, hyung, and you end up shivering from a fever,” he nagged. “Have you been eating properly?” Hyunwoo nodded quickly, hoping it would quell Kihyun’s frustration.

No such luck.

“Then how did you get sick?”

“I just couldn’t sleep,” he mumbled, warmth rising to his cheeks as he looked away. “Hyung, you’ve never gotten sick from pulling an all-nighter before,” Kihyun says with a confused frown. “I mean since you left.” There’s a beat of silence, and Hyunwoo peeks at his husband’s face, watching the way his jaw hung open slightly. “I just got used to you being around, okay? And I was really excited about today. It kept me up,” he explains in a rushed, defensive tone.

“What a fucking idiot.”

Hyunwoo glares at him, a “Well excuse me for being a romantic.” hanging at the tip of his tongue, when the smaller moves forward, bending to kiss his sweaty temple. “I was excited about today too,” he whispers affectionately, before moving towards the kitchen, telling Hyunwoo he’ll bring him something to eat.

 

Hyunwoo doesn’t fuss as Kihyun takes care of him, obediently drinking his soup and taking the pills the younger hands him without so much as a word. It definitely does help that he’s not alone anymore and Kihyun is here with him, more so when the older notices the band on his finger that twinkles and shines from the reflection of the light as he feeds Hyunwoo spoonfuls of the warm broth. Then he helps the man into their bed, sitting at the edge as Hyunwoo made himself comfortable. “You should get some rest,” Kihyun says, getting up to leave the room, but Hyunwoo is quicker, grabbing Kihyun’s fingers while they’re still within his reach.

“No.” 

“Hyung,” Kihyun says in a tone of warning, but Hyunwoo just huffs stubbornly. “You need to sleep. You’re lucky Changkyun managed to move our tickets to the day after tomorrow without costing us too much, or else I’d have nagged your ears off, old man. Now get some sleep and get better by tomorrow, because I am not dragging your sick ass on a ten-hour flight with me only to spend our honeymoon nursing you instead of fucking you.”

“Kihyunnie,” Hyunwoo retorts in a thick voice, as if the younger’s words went into one ear and out the other. His throat was starting to hurt, and Hyunwoo swallowed painfully, wincing at the feeling. He got sick because Kihyun wasn’t around to take care of him, and now the younger wants just leave him here? Hyunwoo doesn’t think so. “Don’t leave me. Please, Kihyunnie _please_?” He stresses the last word with a whine, tugging at the Kihyun’s fingers weakly and staring at him with hooded, tired eyes. Well, he wasn’t feeling that unwell, but you know. Theatrics.

Just as he hoped, the younger male’s gaze softened. “Ah,” he cooed, “you’re always so needy when you fall sick, hyung. So cute, like a baby.” Hyunwoo even pouts a little for good measure, and Kihyun can’t help but laugh, immediately getting under the covers beside him. He lets the older make himself comfortable, and the two eventually find themselves tangled together, with Hyunwoo’s head resting on Kihyun’s chest as he slept on top of him.

Kihyun goes to run his hand through Hyunwoo’s hair, but the dark strands are stiff and rigid from all the product slathered onto them. Instead he strokes Hyunwoo’s back, eyes on his wedding ring as Hyunwoo snored. _We got married just a few hours ago_ , he mused, _and this old man is already giving me work._

_Oh well. In sickness and in health, right?_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Double update because I start my second semester in college in less than twelve hours /sobs/ I'm not ready for the stress and craziness, but oh well. Let me know what you thought of both chapters!


	12. 6. Making Fun of One Another [pwp/supernatural!AU - angel!Hyunwoo & demon!Kihyun]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rated E for explicit content, namely smut and religious themes. Do not read if it isn't your cup of tea.

Hyunwoo is going to hell.

Well, no angel has ended up in hell – not to his knowledge at least (except for the one they never speak of, the one the humans know as Satan, or less commonly Lucifer, but he’s a different case).  Angels are heavenly beings, everything that is good and pure personified; the worst that happens to them is that they get their wings clipped and they fall from heaven.

Sharp pain on his thigh interrupts his train of thought, and Hyunwoo’s eyes flicker to the source in annoyance. “Did you know demons can hear thoughts?,” the person, no, _demon_ says, nibbling at his thigh in an unhurried fashion. Hyunwoo flushes, irritation replaced by arousal almost instantly. He did know; it was him knowing that led them into these lewd positions, time and time again.

The demon, Kihyun –as he called himself in the middle of their first encounter, _sing it, angel, use that pretty voice as I defile you_ , he’d snarled, and Hyunwoo couldn’t suppress a shudder, doing exactly that – moves northward, nuzzling Hyunwoo’s cock through the fabric of his boxers, rubbing his face into the clothed flesh and pulling back to admire the wet patch that darkens the cloth. “You’re already so wet for me,” he groans, eyes unable to leave the wanton sight.

“Dirty angel,” Kihyun sneers, “Acting all wanton like this. Do your other comrades know? Does your _precious Father_ know, hm?” Shame coursed through him at the mockery, but it only strengthens Hyunwoo’s arousal.

“Maybe I _should_ drag you to hell with me,” he muses, uncaring that Hyunwoo did not reply. The angel hisses when the flimsy barrier is finally removed, exposing him to the demon’s greedy, greedy eyes. “Keep you nice and pretty on my cock all day. You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” His tone is questioning, but Kihyun swallows him whole immediately after, stealing any chance of a reply. Fingers find purchase at the demon’s hair, but he suckles Hyunwoo so sweetly the angel is left feeling boneless, thighs quivering uselessly as he whimpered.

No angel ends up in hell, but then again, no angel fucks with a demon either – literally and figuratively.  So yes, Hyunwoo is quite certain that the gates of his home will not open for him anymore.

He does not care, not when Kihyun buries himself to the hilt, and the feeling is so blissful Hyunwoo thinks he could _cry_.

The demon waits, of course, gives Hyunwoo time to adjust as he always did, but he squirms impatiently and tries to get the other to move. It’s not until the angel whispers an embarrassed “Please.” does Kihyun finally give in. He presses deep into the angel, taking his own sweet time even as Hyunwoo writhes and begs for more. His mouth spews words so blasphemous it would make the Devil blush, but Kihyun only chuckles breathlessly and leans down, licking fat tears away from flushed cheeks.

His hips slow just by a fraction, but to Hyunwoo it’s a fraction too much. “Kihyun, please-,” he whines, the only two words that float around the edges of his mind. The smaller male only hums.

“What is it?,” he asks playfully, but it fuels Hyunwoo’s pride to hear the strain in his tone. “Are you close? Do you want to come?” Hyunwoo nods repeatedly. He’s beginning to shake, straying too near the fringes of ecstasy. He wants it, chases for the feeling that has him seeing white, unable to do more than drown in it, drown in Kihyun who surrounds him, taking over his whole existence in that moment. The demon drives into him one more time, pressing relentlessly on that one spot that has Hyunwoo’s toes curling in pleasure.

“Come,” Kihyun whispers in his ear. “Let yourself go for me, angel.” The last word is laced with so much affection it sounds more like an endearment than a taunt, and that’s what has Hyunwoo releasing with a sob, painting their bodies white as the angel loses control. His wings flare out, big and bright and beautiful, and Hyunwoo’s eyes squeeze shut as he basks in the waves of rapture that thrum through his entire being, missing the way the demon stares at him in awe.

By the time the angel comes down from his high, Kihyun has stopped moving. Hyunwoo tries to catch his breath as his eyes focus, and they finally land on the demon hovering over him. He’s staring at Hyunwoo, a tender expression on his face, and the latter is glad that the warmth that rises to his cheeks is covered by his flush from all the activity.

A hand reaches to stroke the edge of his wing, and Hyunwoo _croons_ , feeling lightheaded, almost drugged. They spend some time in silence – it could have been minutes, maybe even hours for all Hyunwoo could tell. The silence and constant pressure against his sensitive wings allow Hyunwoo to almost fall asleep, eyes fluttering closed for a time before he forces them open and tries to stay awake.

Kihyun notices, of course. “I see I’ve fucked you senseless,” he says, the teasing lilt ever-present in his voice. Hyunwoo groans in annoyance and the demon laughs, throwing his head back in delight. “It’s alright, angel,” he says, cupping Hyunwoo’s cheek and caressing the skin softly with his thumb. “You can sleep.” He pulls out and goes to get up, but is stopped by tanned palms gripping his forearms.

“W-wait,” the angel stutters. Kihyun raises an eyebrow in question, and the other hastens to explain. “I- you haven’t- you’re still-,” he tries, unable to make himself say it. Kihyun chuckles in amusement, reassuring him and dismissing his concerns. Hyunwoo’s hold tightens, and he murmurs a “Stay. _Please._ ”  

Kihyun looks at him then, _really_ looks at him; Hyunwoo is naked, but with the way the demon gazes into his eyes he feels like his entire existence is bare for Kihyun to see. The angel wants to look away, but he can’t – Kihyun has eyes that trap him, shades of gold and red and yellow and orange all at once. They dance like the crackling flames of Hell, and Hyunwoo has never seen something more alive. He’s enraptured by them.

Whatever the demon sees has him nodding in answer, a slight smile overtaking his face. They rearrange themselves so that the angel can tuck his head into Kihyun’s neck, allowing the latter to run his hands all over him in affection as he drifts off, dreaming of burning eyes and a loving smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is another of my old drafts I decided to finally put out before I lose it or something. I was getting antsy to put something up, so I skimmed through this hastily; I hope the flow is okay. On a side note, I'm going on a cruise as a short vacation over the next few days, and I can't wait to unwind and write /sighs dreamily/ Let me know what you thought about this!


	13. 23. Being Old Together [going down memory lane/family fic - birthday boy!Hyunwoo]

When Hyunwoo wakes up that morning, it’s with a smile on his face, because the space next to him is still very much occupied. Kihyun’s face presses warmly on his back, a leg slung carelessly over both of his own. He can conclude that there are only two possibilities for this: one, it’s too damn early for a normal person to be functioning, or two, Kihyun has, by some miracle of God, overslept.

It’s probably the latter; their youngest, Changkyun had only just enrolled in college away in the city, and that left only the two of them in their home. Hoseok and Minhyuk, the two oldest moved out when they started working, and Hyungwon had always been independent, juggling a part-time job and postgraduate studies without depending on his parents for help, whereas Jooheon started college only the year before, him and Changkyun both choosing to go to the same place.

It was a strange thing, Hyunwoo mused, time. He’s turned over, facing his sleeping husband and tracing Kihyun’s calm, still features with his eyes. Kihyun has aged – the skin under his eyes sag and darken even if he gets a good night’s sleep, and his laugh lines are permanently etched onto his face – the same way Hyunwoo is sure he himself has. Yet his husband no different, still makes his heartbeat quicken just the same as when he first saw him at the cafeteria back in university, vibrant and inhumanly beautiful as he stood out from everyone else around him.

There’s a ghost of a smile on Hyunwoo’s lips as he stares at Kihyun, but it’s replaced by a real one when the other’s eyes flutter open slowly. It takes him a couple of moments, but he finally has the mind to grace Hyunwoo with a grin of his own, shy and sweet and breathtaking all at once. “Morning,” Kihyun whispers, voice hoarse from lack of use and Hyunwoo shuffles closer, leaning in to peck Kihyun’s lips. Kihyun has his eyes closed again; probably to bask in the warm, safe cocoon that is their bed, but years of living with his husband have taught him enough.

“Did you brush your teeth?”

Hyunwoo pouts, feeling put off just as their lips almost touch. “Not even today?,” he whines, and he’s almost embarrassed at how comical it is – attempting to sound cute with his deeper-than-usual morning voice – but Kihyun doesn’t let up either way, uncaringly repeating his request before snuggling into the covers as Hyunwoo grumbles to himself, trudging to the bathroom.

When Kihyun has also rid of his morning breath and washed his face clean, Hyunwoo is sulking, facing the wall beside their large bed. Smiling softly, Kihyun reclaims his place beside him, pale arms winding around a broad back to trap him in a tight embrace. Hyunwoo just huffs in annoyance, rolling his eyes when he heard his husband chuckle in amusement.

The next moment, he’s jostled from his spot as the younger all but _climbs_ on top of him. He’s forced to look at Kihyun then, and the eye smile he’s graced with makes Hyunwoo’s heart flutter. “Happy birthday, Hyunwoo-ah,” Kihyun beams, leaning down to connect their lips in a soft, sweet kiss, and Hyunwoo can’t help it anymore, breaking into a wide smile and pulling Kihyun into a hug. “Thank you,” he says simply, but the happiness is evident in his tone.

“50, huh? You’re so _old_.”

Hyunwoo sniffs in disdain. “Whatever, you’re only a year younger than me. And you weren’t even the first to wish me.” The bark of laughter that escapes his husband reverberates against his body. “I know, I heard you talking to Hoseok last night. Did he say what time he’s gonna be here?” The older nods in reply. “He said he’ll leave first thing in the morning, and he’ll pick Kyunnie and Jooheonnie up… so they should be here anytime soon,” he explains, adding a “We should probably get dressed.” as an afterthought.

Kihyun hums, but makes no move to disentangle himself from Hyunwoo’s hold. “Remember when we got them? Hoseok and Minhyuk and Hyungwon?,” he asks instead. Hyunwoo does. How could he not? It was the reason he was even here today, with his husband and their kids beside him. But he answers with just a nod, reminiscing.

 

The three of them were actually Kihyun’s nephews; just kids who lost their parents too early. He recalls the panicked, slightly dazed way Kihyun – who was his boyfriend of three years at that point in time – sounded when he called him at 3 in the morning, apologizing for having to miss their date that evening because he was all the way at a hospital back in his hometown.

Those were hard times, the older thinks with a bittersweet feeling. He and Kihyun were already going through a rough patch in their relationship – Hyunwoo doesn’t like to think about it, but he’s well aware that he was contemplating breaking up until then, but any thought of leaving disappeared as soon Kihyun was handed the responsibility of raising his sister’s oldest son and twin boys.

 It was so difficult, juggling work and kids and money, and they snapped at one another more often than not, broke out into fights at the smallest things that ended in tears. They were already so busy, struggling to adapt to the working world and balancing their lives without burning out. Adding kids into the mix just put a bigger strain on them both.

There was one time that stands clear in Hyunwoo’s memory, when he’d gotten so angry his blood boiled and his clenched fists shook as he tried his hardest to avoid throwing something, or worse, hitting Kihyun. It didn’t help that the younger noticed his rage, letting more insults fall out of his mouth to provoke him even further.

So Hyunwoo left.

He’d never done that before in the course of their relationship – Hyunwoo always, always stopped as soon as the argument became pointless, slowly talking it out with Kihyun. But it was too much this time, and Hyunwoo felt like if he didn’t get away his anger would consume him. He stayed away for the rest of the day, and had lost track of time until he got a call from Kihyun’s phone.

“Appa, where are you? We’re gonna eat dinner, Kihyunnie appa told me to tell you-” 

“ _Minhyukkie, appa told you not to say my name!,”_ Kihyun shrieks in the background. “Appa said he's making _gonchang,_ ” the boy screamed into the receiver, completely ignoring Kihyun. “ _Gopchang, baby_.” He sounds resigned now. Hyunwoo smiled softly at the banter, and the mention of his favourite dish. “I'm coming now, Minhyukkie.”

Later that night, after putting the children to bed and cleaning the apartment before heading to sleep themselves, Hyunwoo found himself at a loss on what to do. Kihyun hadn't spoken to him at all, using the kids to ask him questions instead. He doesn't know what was going through the younger’s mind. He stared at Kihyun, who had his back to Hyunwoo as they slept beside each other on the old but comfortable mattress they had gotten for cheap at a garage sale.

“I thought you weren't coming back,” Kihyun says in a small voice. “I thought you were done. For good. I’m scared that you will be, one day.”

And Hyunwoo would be reminded of that day in the hospital, staring at a red-eyed Kihyun, stroking the kids’ backs as they stretched out on the uncomfortable chairs by the hallway and slept on his lap. “I’m taking them,” he said, voice strained from all the crying. “They don’t have anyone else- I can’t give them up.” His voice cracked at the end, and Hyunwoo had reached down to stroke his hair in comfort. “They have you, and you have me,” Hyunwoo promises solemnly, shaking his head when Kihyun hiccups as he thanks the older.

Hyunwoo meant it, even if they were having a tough time. They were his kids as much as they were Kihyun's. He wouldn't have it any other way, and he needed Kihyun to know that. He needed him to know that he's not going anywhere, no matter how bad things got.

There’s only one thing he can do to make Kihyun understand that.

 

Hyunwoo comes back to himself after reliving that memory, tilting his head to see Kihyun watching him intently. “I do remember,” he reaffirms. Kihyun smiles. “We went through a lot that time.”  The older nods, chin hitting the top of his husband’s head softly. His palm trails the length of Kihyun’s arm, feeling the softness of his well-cared-for skin until he reaches his hand. He curls his fingers and his thumb brushes the cold metal that sits perfectly on the ring finger. There’s a carbon copy of it on his own hand. “And then we got married,” Hyunwoo continues. Kihyun’s smile widens.

“We did.”  

 

It was a small affair, but it was beautiful. Hyunwoo’s parents were there, and so were their friends from university and their colleagues. They got married in the church Kihyun used to go to as a child. It was a Sunday; Hyunwoo remembers it because he attended Mass for the first time with Kihyun, courtesy of him being raised as a Buddhist. Their wedding took place later that afternoon, and Hyunwoo recalls getting laughed at when they were asked to say their vows – he hadn’t been listening, and it took a good shove from Kihyun himself before he came to his senses, and he could only giggle at Kihyun’s raised eyebrow before apologising shyly at the priest and moving on.

He was too embarrassed to tell anyone the truth – that he was so enamoured by Kihyun’s beauty, accentuated by the crisp suit he donned and the rustic rays of light that filtered through the old, high windows of the small cathedral and fell on him, making the younger male almost glow ethereally.

Hyunwoo made Kihyun cry – well, technically it was his mother; she’d gone up to the younger right after the ceremony to wish them and give them a hug before she insisted that he called her _eomma_ instead of _eommoni_. “You’re like a son to me, dear. Never forget that,” she said sweetly as Kihyun tried to stop his tears, leaning into Hyunwoo who was rubbing his back. And then he made Hyunwoo cry too, when he whisked him away during the little picnic they had after the ceremony. The question of where they were going burned at Hyunwoo’s tongue, but all Kihyun did was ask him to be a little patient.

It’s when they end up at a graveyard just a few blocks away from the church that Hyunwoo quieted down. Kihyun leads him to a row of graves in the middle, before pulling Hyunwoo down so they could kneel in front of two graves. “ _Eomma, appa_ ,” he regards, “this is Hyunwoo. He’s… he’s my husband.”  His voice was stable, but his palms shook, so Hyunwoo took hold of one of them before opening his own mouth to speak.

“ _Annyeonghaseyo_ , my name is Son Hyunwoo. I’m sorry we couldn’t meet before. I married your son today.

“You have a beautiful son, and I’m very lucky to have him,” he says with a smile, squeezing the small hand in his hold. He looked over at Kihyun just then, saw the younger’s gaze on the floor but didn’t miss the droplets of water that hit the ground, and it was just then that he himself began to choke up. “Kihyun takes care of me very well and he loves me so much, even though I’m no one special,” he goes on, taking a deep breath and willing himself to calm down. “I’m very lacking, but I will try my hardest to take care of him and our kids.” That reminds him of something else.

“Jihyun-noona,” he says suddenly, and he can see Kihyun’s shocked expression but keeps going. “We’re taking care of Hoseokkie, Hyungwonnie and Minhyukkie. We love them very much. Please help us watch over them, noona.” And with that Hyunwoo lowers himself into a bow, pulling Kihyun by the hand to do the same. They don’t say anything after, drying their tears and wiping the dirt off their suits silently before walking back to the church, swaying their locked palms in between them.

It was an emotionally-taxing day for Hyunwoo, but it was also the most meaningful day of his life.

 

Of course, Hyunwoo remembers well also what transpired after that. His parents had whisked the kids back to his own hometown for the rest of the week to give the couple “time to spend together as newlyweds”, even though he and Kihyun had been acting like a married couple pretty much ever since the kids came into their lives almost a year prior. But time away from the children, as much as Hyunwoo and Kihyun loved them, was a blessing in itself, and they utilised it to the fullest. Hyunwoo wasn’t fazed by things easily, but even he coloured thinking back on their self-proclaimed ‘honeymoon’.

“What are you thinking of, you pervert?,” Kihyun teased, pulling him from his thoughts. Hyunwoo shook his head, but the blush on his cheeks grew even more. Kihyun, bless him, doesn’t push it, only chuckling when Hyunwoo comments about the tax benefits they got after registering their marriage. “We should have gotten married sooner; we could have saved so much. I never even knew about tax benefits for married couples until then.”

Kihyun hums. “And then we got Heonnie and Changkyunnie, and our tax returns increased even more,” he recalls with a small laugh. “Remember Hongshik-hyung from the government office? He’d groan about us adopting more and more kids just to avoid paying our taxes.” Hyunwoo nods again, but his thoughts are elsewhere this time.

 

They hadn’t planned on getting two youngest initially; both Kihyun and he were content with the way things turned out for them, and they went on with life. It was one day, as Hyunwoo tried to get Hoseok to tell him what he wanted to do for his birthday next week that he got a peculiar question from the boy. He’d vehemently insisted that he didn’t want anything up until then, but he hesitated for a moment and Hyunwoo jumped at the opportunity.  

“Whatever you want, Hoseokkie,” he promised. Still, Hoseok remained quiet, and just as Hyunwoo was going to call it a day and continue to pester him tomorrow, Hoseok asked him a question that had him freezing his tracks.

“If… if appa didn’t take us after _eomma_ left, where would we have gone?”

“I… well, you would go into foster care. It’s a home where kids who don’t have parents are raised, and if there are other parents who want to adopt they go there and adopt them,” Hyunwoo said cautiously, watching the twelve-year-old’s face as he spoke. Hoseok chewed his lip, a sign that he was nervous about something before asking another question. “Can we go there then? For… for my birthday?”

So they did. Hoseok’s birthday fell on a Saturday that year, so Hyunwoo and his husband packed up and drove the kids to the nearest foster home. They bought a bunch of snacks and cakes, all choices Hoseok or his brothers made and called the foster home in advance to arrange everything else. It was fun at first, the kids all took to each other and Hyunwoo and Kihyun watched as they played and shouted made a complete ruckus of the place.

Hoseok came running to them all of a sudden, with Minhyuk and Hyungwon trailing behind. All three of them were panting, but what alarmed them, Kihyun especially were the similar looks of agitation on their faces. “What’s wrong, boys? Are you guys hungry? Do you want to cut the cakes now?,” Kihyun asked, looking at them in amusement as they shook their heads to each question. “Then what is it?,” Hyunwoo asked.

“Um, appa there’s a boy-”

“Jooheonnie is so cute, he has dimples like appa and we-”

“Appa please can we keep him please we’ll do the dishes for a month we promise-”

The myriad of voices, all speaking at the same time was too quick for either of the pair to follow. “Wait wait wait,” Kihyun calls, stopping them short. “Hyungwon-ah,” Hyunwoo calls, and he almost burst into laughter at the wide-eyed look he got in return. Hyungwon looked betrayed, almost as if he wanted to say _appa, I trusted you, why would you do this to me_.  “You tell me, Hyungwon. What do you guys want?”

“Um,” Hyungwon squeaked, and Kihyun and his husband exchanged concerned glances with one another as they waited for him to go on. “Can we take Jooheon home with us?”

Kihyun’s jaw dropped, with Hyunwoo mirroring his expression. The kids stared back, all with a hopeful look in their eyes that truthfully reminded Hyunwoo of a pack of puppies. “Boys,” Kihyun started slowly, trying to phrase what he wanted to say in a way they would understand, “it’s not that easy. There’s a lot of work- I, ah, Seokkie, don’t cry…,” Kihyun trailed off, defeated as soon as Hoseok’s eyes watered. He turned to his husband for help, but Hyunwoo was rendered just as powerless. Hoseok was a good kid, he rarely ever asked for anything and was a sensitive little boy, so the two of them always had a hard time denying him anything. 

“We really like him, appa, please,” the oldest pleads. Hyunwoo hesitated. “Let me and appa talk about it first, okay?,” he says finally, but the winning smiles the couple got in return said enough. “Oh,” Minhyuk quipped, as if he had almost forgotten something. “Changkyunnie is Jooheonnie’s _dongsaeng_ , and if we’re bringing Jooheonnie home with us, we have to bring Chagkyunnie too! I think Changkyunnie looks like you, appa!,” he says excitedly, hugging Kihyun before he ran off, yanking Hyungwon by the hand and almost making the poor boy trip.

Hyunwoo thought his heart was about to give up, and from the looks of it, Kihyun felt the same.

 

The sound of the bedroom door being thrown open yanked Hyunwoo from his thoughts once again. “Appa, come on, wake up!,” Minhyuk shouts loudly. Three familiar heads peek into the room, and Hyunwoo is greeted by Changkyun’s cheeky smile. “Ew, appa, don’t be gross in front of us please," he said. Jooheon is smiling warmly, dimples framing his cheeks.

“You brat,” Kihyun replied fondly, but he slowly peeled himself from Hyunwoo’s hold, ears red at getting caught being intimate by their children. He brings Changkyun into a hug first, followed by Jooheon and Minhyuk. Hyunwoo knows that even though it’s been years, Changkyun will always have a soft spot in Kihyun’s heart.

 

The boy hadn’t adapted well with the rest of them in the beginning. Everyone would try to engage with him – Hyunwoo would try to talk to him or play with him during outings, Hoseok and the twins would help him with their homework or borrow those advanced science books he enjoyed reading, but he would remain distant, always stuck to Jooheon like a shadow. It wasn’t until Kihyun and Hyunwoo took him out alone for ice-cream that they would learn why.

“I’m protecting Heonnie-hyung,” he said simply. When neither of his parents understood, requesting him to elaborate further, he explained that Jooheon had been adopted multiple times, only to be returned back to the home for one reason or another. “Either the parents were mean to him, or the kids were. Jooheonnie-hyung would cry whenever he came back, and I didn’t like that. That’s why I asked Minhyukkie-hyung to take me too when he asked Jooheonnie-hyung to come home with him.”

Hyunwoo’s heart broke, and Kihyun sounded just as pained when he spoke. “Changkyunnie,” he started softly, reaching out to cup Changkyun’s cheek. The boy flinched but didn’t move away. “You’re both family now. We would never do that to Jooheonnie or you. Your hyungs love you two very much, and so do we. I hope you can accept that, sooner or later.” It was then that the boy shed tears of his own, although he wouldn’t admit to it when they tried to comfort him.

Slowly but surely, Changkyun began to see himself as part of their family, fitting himself with the rest of them like a puzzle piece. He’d help Kihyun in the kitchen and Hyunwoo with the chores, join Hoseok and Minhyuk on video game marathons and take naps with Hyungwon after school.

Hyunwoo couldn’t have been happier.

 

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY APPA!”

His five children stood in the middle of their living room, all sharing similar smiles with one another. They were all grown up now, and Hyunwoo finds tears prickling at the corners of his eyes when he looks back at all the memories he has of them. He hides his face in Kihyun’s shoulder, muttering a quick “Thank you.” as the rest of them laughed and cheered, ushering him to cut the cake and chattering excitedly.

 _I’ve been so lucky_ , he thinks, looking around him and wrapping a hand around Kihyun’s waist as he insisted Kihyun cut it with him.

_I’ve lived a good life, and I’m so lucky for that._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! It's been a while; I have a major exam next week (my German TELC A2, to be exact) and my AS Level mocks are the week after. I've missed writing, so I whipped this up when I had the time. I hope you like it, let me know your thoughts!


	14. 26. Interacting with Family Members [domestic!au - parents!ShowKi]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Long time no see ^^ I hope you're all doing well. As for myself, I'd like to think that things have calmed down enough for me to find time to write, but in college things can really get out of hand fast -.-"" This chapter is pointless bc I just haven't written anything in months and finally forced myself to churn something out, but I hope you enjoy!

**_Changkyun is sick._ **

Almost immediately his phone buzzes from a call. _Of course Hyunwoo would panic_ , thought Kihyun in irritation as he connected the call. “What did you do to him?,” the older had demanded, not even bothering to wait for a hello from the male on the other end. The younger was taken aback for all but a second, defensiveness rising in him like bile. “Excuse me?! You watch your words, Son Hyunwoo-sshi.”

Hyunwoo shivers. Kihyun used his family name, never mind that they exchanged surnames when they got married. _Shit, he’s mad_. But that didn’t mean he was going to let up. “Well, if you hadn’t-“

His words are interrupted by what sounded like a wail on Kihyun’s end. Hyunwoo listens as his husband rushes to the source of the interruption, smiling instinctively as the younger coos wordless assurances to whom he assumes is their little boy. He flinches as a painful _thunk_ blares  through the speaker from the phone being put haphazardly aside, followed by Kihyun’s unnaturally high-pitched voice repeating “Oh no no no Changkyunnie don’t cry, what’s wrong?”

Hyunwoo only breathes as he hears Kihyun shuffle around, trying to calm their child down. He can picture it, and his heart fills with a familiar warmth at the sight of their baby clinging to Kihyun, and the latter pacing around with a hand rubbing Changkyun’s back comfortingly. There’s just something about seeing them together that tugs at his heartstrings, so Hyunwoo cuts the call, grabbing his wallet and keys before rushing out the door.

Argument or not, he misses them.

 

Hyunwoo is nervous as he knocks on the door, fiddling with his phone as he registers a familiar voice call out a “Coming!” before the electronic sound of the security system is turned off and the door is unlocked, allowing him into the residence. He comes face-to-face with an old woman he knows all too well.

“ _Eomma_ , how are you?”

“Hyunwoo dear,” she acknowledges with a smile, pulling her tall son into a hug. Hyunwoo takes a moment to breathe her scent, letting it surround him like a warm, comforting blanket. She grows older day by day, and Hyunwoo knows he won’t have her around forever, so he basks in little moments like this. Her smile turns into an amused grin is when he asks her how Kihyun and Changkyun are doing. “The baby’s fever isn’t so bad. Kihyun isn’t mad anymore either, don’t worry,” she tells him, whispering the last part conspiratorially as Kihyun walked out, stopping in surprise when he registers exactly who showed up.

“Kihyun-ah,” Hyunwoo says awkwardly, unable to look at Kihyun in the eye and keeping his gaze fixed on his husband’s chest instead. “Hyunwoo-yah,” the smaller man returns coolly, glaring at him. He huffed, irritation crawling under his skin. ­ _Why must he be so damn stubborn?_ , he wondered, before pushing the matter aside. He came for Changkyun, anyway. “How is he?,” he asked Kihyun while walking in the direction the younger came from earlier. Kihyun fell into step beside him, and together they walked into the guest bedroom, where the baby slept peacefully in the middle of the large bed.

“He fussed for a bit- I got him to settle down just a little before you came,” he explained from his place by the door, watching as Hyunwoo took a seat by the bedside and placed the back of his palm against Changkyun’s forehead. Warm seems to be an understatement, but the child isn’t alarmingly hot as Hyunwoo had expected. “It’s not that bad,” he sighed, more to himself than to his spouse. “I tried to tell you, but you didn’t listen,” Kihyun retorted, annoyed. Hyunwoo glared in irritation but bit his bottom lip to keep his protests at bay.

“Whatever, we just made dinner, come eat,” the younger said, voice suddenly soft. Hyunwoo nods, turning back to look at his son once more and stroking his dark locks before following Kihyun out the door.

 

Dinner is a relatively quiet affair, the silence mostly broken by Hyunwoo’s mother who kept asking them both questions – about work, about Changkyun, about whatever that seemed to cross her mind at the moment. They humoured her, but the awkwardness between them was almost tangible. Kihyun, always the more talkative out of the two, would answer for Hyunwoo, before halfway realising what he was doing and going quiet, staring at his husband until the older continued the conversation himself. _Cute_ , Hyunwoo thought to himself, the way Kihyun got all flustered and turned pink in the cheeks. He hasn’t seen that in a while, and it’s something he finds endearing.

It's half past nine by the time they're done, and Hyunwoo realises that he needs to return home - the next day was a working day after all, and he hadn't even planned to stay as long as he did anyway. Hyunwoo starts glancing at his watch more often, and at one point he meets his husband’s eyes. Kihyun looks away almost immediately, and Hyunwoo thinks it’s answer enough. His husband still wanted some space to cool down, and Hyunwoo will give it. He clears his throat, calling out to his mother who was cleaning the kitchen. “It’s getting late-,” he starts, but she cuts him off before he can excuse himself. “Oh, that’s right! You must be tired, you should head to bed. Both of you will need to get up early tomorrow, you have to go home and get ready for work, right?”

“Ah, uh, it’s okay, _eomma_ , it’s not that late yet, I can still make it back.” His mother hums, considering for a second before nodding along in agreement. “All right, Kihyun-ah, why don’t you bring back some of the leftovers with you? I’ll go dress the baby.”

“Oh, uh, _eomma_ -”

“No, I’m not-”

Words jumbling together as they tried to politely explain themselves to the old woman, Hyunwoo couldn’t help but feel like a child when her temper finally began to show. “No, neither of you are sleeping separately tonight. I don’t care if you’re staying the night or going home, but whatever it is, you’re doing it together. Understood?,” she snapped, glaring at them. They both nodded meekly, deciding to stay the night since Changkyun was already settled in. They offered to help her clean, but bid her a good night instead when she waved them off and told them once again to turn in for the night.

There was nothing but pin-drop silence between them as they got ready for bed; Hyunwoo brushed his teeth as Kihyun readjusted Changkyun to make space for all three of them on the bed and turned down the air conditioning – Hyunwoo didn’t have clothes for the night, and as much as they were doing the whole _you-don’t-exist­_ charade, Kihyun would really rather not have his husband dying of hypothermia – he peed as Kihyun washed his face by the sink, watched as Kihyun took off the shirt he was wearing – it was Hyunwoo’s, but at this point it really didn’t matter anymore – and slipped into bed beside him.

“Turn the lights off when you go to sleep,” the younger mumbles, body facing Hyunwoo but eyes shut tight. Hyunwoo doesn’t grace him with a reply, instead laying down himself and keeping his gaze on his husband’s serene face. “Kihyun-ah,” he whispers loudly. “Kihyunnie.”

“What.”

“I’m sorry,” he says in the same whisper-shout. Kihyun doesn’t say anything back, and it’s silent again. “What were we even fighting about?,” the younger wonders at last. It’s a good question though, because-

“I… I don’t remember,” Hyunwoo says slowly, eyes crinkling as his lips spread into a toothy grin at how funny that was. Kihyun snorts, albeit quietly, but his lips are upturned as well, and the older takes it. He leans forward, closing the small space Changkyun forged as he dozed between them, and smooches Kihyun full on the lips, pulling back just as quickly and watching his husband’s expression. The latter’s eyes are still closed, but his tiny grin had grown into a wide beam, unable to hide even as his teeth pulled at his bottom lip.

“Turn off the lights,” he repeats, and Hyunwoo obeys. It’s all silent, and just when Hyunwoo’s eyelids grow heavy does Kihyun whisper something to him.

“ _I’m sorry too, baby, love you_.”


End file.
